Cirrhosis Support Group

Sorry to have to pass this terrible news along! I'll post again if I hear anything more.

I am so totally bummed out! The National Kidney Foundation announced today that it will not be sponsoring the 2012 U.S. Transplant Games!

Having worked with the NKF Wisconsin office, which as "host" state office did the bulk of the work in 2010, I know how much time, effort and (an idea anyway of the) money it takes. Given the current state of the economy, I can see keeping the Transplant Games going, **as currently structured**, could be a problem. Let's hope something works out to keep this great showcase of the value of transplantation in our world! BTW There are "World" transplant games in the odd numbered years and many other countries have their own version of games.

Dennis

Maybe we'll have to hold our own games.

On your MARK --- Get set --- GO!!

They probably had huge funding cuts. Sorry to hear about this.

Here's a thought, how about one of the talented people set up a website for awareness and donations. It is done all over the net, See this link as an example:

http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/

I just wanted to pass along information about the biennial event formerly known as the "NKF U.S. Transplant Games®". The National Kidney Foundation has suspended the games for 2012 due to "budgetary concerns". I do a lot of volunteer consulting for the NKF Wisconsin, which was the host state for the 2010 games. I know how much work it took to organize the games last year. I also know that the decision of the national organization was not well received by either the participants in the past games or the several “independent affiliate” state/regional NKF offices. These affiliates are not bound by all the same policies as the other offices around the country.

I consider myself loyal to my local NKF affiliate. I know that there have been some efforts to establish some sort of alternative games, at least for the states/regions covered by the independents. Given the relatively short time frame left to do everything that must be done so as to have a successful games, I now feel the need to support a group based in Grand Rapids, Michigan that has a lot of momentum in organizing games in 2012. I hope that we can get the independent affiliates of NKF to throw their own support and experience into making the 2012 games happen.

The Grand Rapid games started as a grass roots Facebook group led by TJ Maciak. The Facebook group Help bring the 2012 US Transplant Games to Grand Rapids has gathered many people and ideas to make the games happen. We have voted on a name for the group and started a webpage for the 2012 Transplant Games of America. Please check out these sites for further information.

Grand Rapids has hosted statewide summer and winter games in the past. There is a games organization already in place to help facilitate the “2012 TGA”. Grand Valley State University is located in Grand Rapids and has venues for many of the sports as well as dormitories available to help keep participant costs down to a reasonable level. Gerald R Ford Airport, Amtrak service, ferry service across Lake Michigan and good highways make Grand Rapids easy to get to in affordable fashion.

I am now really getting excited about the 2012 games! I hope to see all of my friends, AND their friends, friends, friends, in Grand Rapids next summer!!! Oh, BTW, the dates for the games have not yet been etched in stone but we are thinking late July to allow for school schedules around the country.

Dennis

Dennis,

Thanks for the information. I glad to see you excited.

This would be a great place to hold the games (and it'd give me another excuse to visit friends in Michigan.) A nice campus in kind of a rural setting West of Grand Rapids. Michigan is a great place to spend time in the summer. That would be blueberry season.