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What does it take to join Team Virginia?
We welcome with open arms anyone that wants to join our team. There is no membership costs or requirements to remain a member. While only organ recipients and living donors can compete at the bi-annual Transplant Games of America (TGA), anyone can join the team and support our competitors!
Here are some frequently asked questions:
No!
The TGA minimum is 9 months since your last transplant. Also, your physician will have to sign a waiver indicating your can take part in the games.
No, you can live anywhere in the world. If you live outside Virginia or West Virginia, you need to have some connection in your own heart to the Virginia’s.
Living donors can compete in almost every event. Generally stated, the team events such as basketball and volleyball are limited to recipients only. Living donors have their own divisions and will compete only against other living donors.
We have a saying here at Team Virginia which is “Team Virginia and the Games are all about “Good Sports,” not necessarily good athletics.” Quite often the last person to finish a sport gets as much applause as the first place finisher! Of course, you need to be able to safely compete in a given sport.
Visit the transplantgamesofamerica.org website. If the information you seek is not there, email Cindy and Rich at teamvirginiatga@yahoo.com. If we don’t know the answer, we will get it for you.
We are a re-invented team after the prior managing organization closed in 2011. Admittedly we do not have great financial resources, but so far, we have always been able to provide team trading pins for each member and team uniforms. Additionally, team managers provide help with logistics such as locating a team hotel and helping with registration issues. Additionally, we provide as much information and organizational help as possible on-site at each Games. We can always use more help so if you feel passionate about taking a role or a responsibility with the team, please let us know! The greater the help, the greater we can become and share our message!
If it was not for donor families, there would be no Team Virginia. We welcome you with open arms (and a hug!) in joining Team Virginia. Currently TGA does not offer athletic division for donor family members, however there are special events and activities at every Games for donor families!
