Hundreds of sportspersons, who owe their lives to organ transplant, participated in the first ever transplant games - Transplant Games 2008 -- organised by Narmada Kidney Foundation (NKF), at Goregaon Sports Club in Mumbai recently.

As a mark of respect to organ donors, acceptors and the family members who consented to donating kidneys and other organs of their near and dear ones, the NKF celebrates November 30 as Organ Donor's Day. This year the celebration had to be postponed to December 25 due to terror attacks in Mumbai. Dr Bharat V Shah, founder member of NKF, Dr Sunil Shroff (managing trustee, MOHAN Foundation) and many others graced the occasion.

On the occasion Dr Bharat V Shah said, "The Narmada Kidney Foundation Transplant Games are vital for two reasons - for the participants to show everyone that how normal life is after transplant and to raise awareness on the need of transplant and for people to become organ donors. Transplant Games 2008 is the platform to show how transplantation has transformed life of those who had transplant. It will also bring immense pleasure to the donors who made this possible."

Aashish Mangal, NKF Programme director said, "It is an event for donors and recipients to be able to compete at the Transplant Games and promote awareness and demonstrate healthy life after transplant. We should have such kind of more programmes in future to spread right message to the community."

"I am proud to be a part of Narmada Kidney Foundation programme. The Transplant Games has boosted our morale and confidence. After this event, we have started feeling that we are also as healthy as normal human beings and have confidence in living a successful new life," says Ashok Joshi, a patient who participated in the Transplant Games 2008.

Ridhika Tulsiani, president, NKF says, "Through NKF we want to help in improving the community's understanding of organ donation and transplantation. We want to encourage more Indians to discuss organ donation and also to be donors with family and friends."

The NKF Transplant Games is an event for athletes who have received life and saved life. The participation was open to organ transplant recipients and donors. This year, more than 150 transplant athletes enthusiastically participated from major parts of the country like Delhi, Rajasthan Indore, Pune followed by Mumbai. The winners were awarded with 10 gm, 8 gm and 5 gm gold coin in different sports, including 50 meters, 200 meters running race, 400 meters relay, penalty shoot-out, etc.

NKF is a registered charitable trust, founded in 1993 in the memory of Narmadaben V Shah whose mission was to alleviate suffering of sick people.