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                        JeffNEWS, December 13, 1994
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Fourteen Jeffersonians Participate in 1994 Transplant Games; Four Win Medals
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Fourteen Jefferson patients, two of whom are also employees, flew to 
Atlanta earlier this year as part of the 127-member Team Philadelphia in 
the biennial United States Transplant Games sponsored by the Kidney 
Foundation. One patient, swimmer Scott Johnston, brought home two gold 
medals, a silver and two bronze. Patient/employee, Kim Conte, BSN, a nurse 
in the dialysis unit, earned a silver medal in the 50-meter breast stroke 
competition for 26 to 38-year-olds. Kidney transplant patient, John Joyce, 
won a silver medal in the same event for swimmers 50 years and older, and 
liver transplant patient Lee Downing won a silver medal in the open-age 
basketball competition.

Team Philadelphia was more than twice as large as any other team at the 
four-day event, according to team member, Chuck Brucker, operations 
coordinator of Jefferson's transplant program, a six-year employee who had 
his fourth kidney transplant in March at Jefferson. 

"Almost 50 teams with 1,000-plus athletes descended on Emory University, 
which hosted the Olympic-style competition," Mr. Brucker said.

Transplant programs from around the country fielded teams in track and 
field, swimming, bowling, tennis, table tennis, softball throw, 
golf - which is Mr. Brucker's sport - badminton and cycling.

"Since these were my first Transplant Games, I didn't know what to 
expect," he said. "but, during the opening ceremonies, I was truly overcome 
with emotion.

"I suddenly realized that everything I had been through just didn't 
compare to other peoples' difficulties, and that I was truly fortunate to 
be part of such a special group."


First Gold Goes to Donor Family
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Mr. Johnston, an environmental specialist with Hershey Foods, was one of 
only three five-medal winners in the Transplant Games. 

Ever since he had a liver transplant three years ago at Jefferson, he, 
his wife and son have relied on Kidney-1, the Delaware Valley Transplant 
Program, from time to time to let the donor's family know how much their 
kindness continues to mean to the Johnstons.

 This indirect communication is necessary because it's the policy of 
Kidney-1 and other transplant programs to keep the recipients and donors 
from learning one another's identities.

When Mr. Johnston won his first gold medal - in the 100-meter breast 
stroke for 40 to 49 year-olds - he immediately arranged with Kidney-1 to 
send that prize to the donor's family.

"Before I went to the games, I was hoping this would happen so I could 
give the family my medal. Those people are the champions because they made 
all of this possible. I wouldn't have been there otherwise," he said.

Mr. Johnston went on to win a gold in the 100-meter butterfly, a silver 
in the 4 by 50-meter relay and a bronze in both the 50-meter backstroke and 
500-meter freestyle.


Nurse Brings Home a Silver
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Ms. Conte received her kidney transplant at Jefferson a little more than 
four years ago and has been a nurse in Jefferson's dialysis unit for the 
last three years. 

"It was inspiring to see all these people who were rescued from the 
brink of death by a transplant," said Ms. Conte. 

She said that while winning a medal was wonderful, "the real reason we 
participated in the games was to impress upon people the need to sign organ 
donor cards and to thank those who have donated a family member's organs. 
The generosity of another person's grieving family made it possible for me 
to live such a full life today."

Ms. Conte speaks on behalf of organ donation at schools and to adult 
groups in her hometown of Wilmington.

Her physician, James F. Burke Jr., MD, director of the division of 
nephrology believes that the transplant games are valuable "because they 
impress upon our patients that they're once again fully participating 
members of society."

"Being part of the games gives patients' self esteem a tremendous boost, 
even if they don't win," said Michael J. Moritz, MD, associate professor of 
surgery and director of the division of transplantation. "To the extent 
that increased public awareness of transplantation contributes to a 
willingness to donate organs, everyone benefits." 

Other Jefferson patients who joined Team Philadelphia were Mark Corbett, 
Timothy Dalton, Barbara Doms, John Dunleavy, Barbara Hylinski, Robert 
Lawless, Wyman Rodgers, Daniel Snowden and Bozena Skubisz.


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Information provided by:  Editor, JeffNEWS
                          (215) 955-6204
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