Indiana competitors going for gold at 2022 Transplant Games
July 14, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s the Olympics for transplant recipients and the families of organ donors.
Every two years, the Transplant Games of America draws thousands of transplant recipients, organ donor family members and others to compete in a host of athletic and recreational events.
More than 40 U.S. teams and a handful of international teams will compete in 20 medaling competitions and more than 60 special events. Team Indiana is sending 18 competitors to the games July 29-Aug. 3 in San Diego. They’ll be joined by a sizable contingent of family members and supporters.
A few members of Team Indiana include:
- David Jackson of Elkhart, Indiana; a kidney and pancreas transplant recipient
- Benjamin Ale-Ebrahim of Bloomington, Indiana; a liver transplant recipient
- Jeannine McKinney of Franklin, Indiana; a liver, pancreas, small intestine and stomach transplant recipient
- Rebecca Kuczmanski of Granger, Indiana; a kidney transplant recipient
The 2022 Transplant Games of America will kick off with an opening ceremony that honors competitors’ donor heroes and will include transplant recipients, living donors and their families walking in a parade.
Competitors will vie for gold, silver and bronze medals in various sports, including swimming, cycling, badminton, bowling, track and field, golf, tennis and more.
“Our team members are proof that a transplant is a second chance at a full, productive and inspiring life,” said Lindsey Johnson of Donate Life Indiana. “We hope to grow this team and recruit new members to increase awareness about organ donation and to help them become advocates for organ, tissue and eye donation.”
Team Indiana members will honor the lives of four former teammates, all transplant recipients who have recently died. The initials of Brooke Zander of Plainfield, Spencer Hayes of Kokomo, Janet Guest of Indianapolis and Tammy Hawkins of Wanatah will be displayed on the sleeves of each team member’s uniform.
Indiana has been represented by a team at the Transplant Games since 1990.
Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be a donor online at Donate Life Indiana.
About Donate Life Indiana
Since 1998, Donate Life Indiana has been the state-authorized nonprofit organization responsible for managing the Indiana donor registry. Its mission is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana citizens to sign up on the organization’s official state registry while striving to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation through public education. For more, visit Donate Life Indiana online.
