The Impact of the 2020 Transplant Games in the Meadowlands

Steve Adubato sits down with Elisse Glennon, VP & Chief Administrative Officer of the NJ Sharing Network, and Bill Ryan, President & CEO of Transplant Games of America, to discuss the impact of the Donate Life Transplant Games coming to the Meadowlands region in New Jersey in 2020.

9/10/18 #2162

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

"We're pleased to welcome Mr. Bill Ryan, President and CEO of the Transplant Games of America, and Elisse Glennon, Vice President, New Jersey Sharing Network, and full disclosure, a new member of the Board of Trustees at the Caucus Educational Corporation. This is a big deal. July, 2020. The Donate Life Transplant Games, Bill, what is it? And why does it matter? Well you know, the Games are... have been around since 1990. They're intended to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation, and make people aware that there's 115,000 people still waiting for an organ in the United States. Wow. And in New Jersey, that number, Elisse, is? We are... just about 4,000 people currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant. And people who watch our program on a regular basis know that we've been collaborating with the Sharing Network for several years now, to increase awareness around organ and tissue donation. The connection between the Sharing Network and the Transplant Games is? We're thrilled to bring a national program here to New Jersey... It's gonna be in New Jersey? It's finally going to be in New Jersey. We're really excited. It's a big deal? Yes. I think our entire community is just thrilled. Transplant recipients, patients waiting, donor families, our hospital partners, the transplant centers, the entire donation and transplant community is thrilled to bring this type of program right here to New Jersey. And, you know, we feel it's going to raise the level of awareness of organ and tissue donation, it will help increase the donor registry, it will certainly get this conversation started around the dinner table. It's a very important conversation for people to have and we're thrilled to be hosting. What goes on in the Games? There's a lot. There's six days of 21 sports competitions. Let's do the dates by the way. I'm sorry for interrupting. We're talking about July 17th to July 22nd. Go ahead. It's in 2020. There will be 21 sporting events and probably 58 to 65 programmed events, ranging from opening ceremonies, closing ceremonies, donor tributes, workshops, seminars, it's a host of activities for 10-12,000 people and it's going to be a big deal. Why New Jersey? A lot of competition, as I remember? There is a lot of competition but you know, the team put together a great presentation. They won the bid based on the fact that there is a lot going on here on the East Coast, and there's a lot of work to do in the donation and transplant community here. You know, the opportunity to make a difference in this Elisse, we've talked about this on air and off air. A lot of people who..."