A different variety of Olympics

Transplant recipients represent state in Pittsburgh event

Photos provided by LIFEPOINT

photographs provided by LIFEPOINT Theresa Peters of Mount Pleasant had a lung transplant at the age of 27. This summer, a little more than 4 ½ years later, she won three medals at the NKF Transplant Games in Pittsburgh.

Photo provided by LifePoint

Thirteen of the 22 S.C. team members who attended the 2008 National Kidney Foundation Transplant Games received medals in their events. Nine medal winners are (first row, from left) Claire Roberson, Kaytlin Brown, (second row) Theresa Peters, Pamela Yandle, Richard Peay, (third row) Dwayne Lytle, Willie Mae Burke, Kelly Drew and (fourth row) Jake Williams.

While the battle for Olympic gold started last week in Beijing, a different variety of the Olympics took place on home turf in Pittsburgh less than one month ago.

On July 11-15, 29 organ transplant recipients from South Carolina participated in the 2008 National Kidney Foundation US Transplant Games, raising awareness about organ transplants and celebrating lives saved by the medical procedure.

S.C. athletes celebrated their second chances with events including basketball, bowling, golf, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and table tennis. They brought back medals for events varying from Claire Roberson's gold in girls ages 6 to 8 1K cycling, to Willie Mae Burke's silver medal in the women's ages 70 plus 5K race.

Of the 13 state medal winners, two are from the Charleston area.

Bob Mazur, 55, of Summerville had a kidney transplant almost three years ago. He had been on dialysis for a year when the doctor told him he needed a transplant. His now 32-year-old daughter, Joy Rotte, immediately volunteered.

In July, he won the gold in golf for his age group.

"Getting a medal was like a dream come true," Mazur said. "I had almost given up on my golf game, and to be there and do as well as I did, with that adrenaline pumping through ... I hadn't had occasion to feel that for about three years."

At the age of 27, Mount Pleasant resident Theresa Peters finally received the lung she had been waiting for. She had been on oxygen for a year, struggling to eat and even brush her hair.

Now, at 31, Peters says, "breathing seems so easy now, and it's true that most days I don't even think about it anymore."

She won three medals at the 2008 Transplant Games in swimming events for her age group, including a gold in the 50-yard butterfly.

Family members of organ donors, including 22 from South Carolina, also joined the athletes to cheer them along, and receive special honors during recognition and quilt pinning ceremonies.

"The Transplant Games are so important to show the general population that transplantation is successful, it's not rare, and it makes huge changes in the lives of people who would otherwise have died," said Peters. "I've never really been to a place where the community is so generous and thankful."