The Games
The British Transplant Games are organised on behalf of the Transplant Sports Association of Great Britain (TSAGB). The Games were inaugurated in 1978 in Portsmouth by Maurice Slapak, who at the time was a Consultant Transplant Surgeon. Approximately 100 participants took part in the first Games in a one day event. Over the past 20 years, the British Transplant Games has grown to a four day annual event for over 500 competitors and nearly 1000 supporters.
The Games have been staged annually since 1978 in 15 host cities including Portsmouth, Newcastle, Cardiff, Birmingham, Exeter, Liverpool, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Sheffield and Norwich.
From the first Transplant Games held in Portsmouth in 1978 has evolved an annual event, The British Transplant Games, incorporating a wide variety of sporting and leisure activities for all age groups. The Games take place over 4 days in the summer in a different venue each time and from these Games is selected the Team to represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games.
The aim of The Games is to encourage transplant patients to regain fitness and to promote friendship and co-operation between individuals concerned with transplantation, whilst increasing public awareness of the value of organ donation.
Some of our Members come to win medals, training well in advance of the Event and with an eye to being chosen for the World Games - others come to renew old friendships, do their sport at their own pace and generally enjoy a few days of fun and sharing amongst so many who had debilitating illnesses but who are now fit and well as a result of a successful transplant.
Taken from the tsagb.org website