TTS President - Prof. Haberal opens the Summer World Transplant Games in Newcastle Gateshead, UK

(From left to write) Chris Thomas (President of WTGF), Dr. Maurice Slapak (Founding President of WTGF), Prof. Haberal (President of TTS), and Liz Schick (Honorary Secretary of WTGF)

For over 35 years the World Transplant Games Federation has been staging international sporting events and encouraging education around transplantation in order to promote the physical success of transplant surgery and the need to raise public awareness and increase organ donation. Through their various initiatives, the WTGF have aimed to highlight the importance of physical activity and healthy lifestyle in the long term management and well being of transplant recipients. The 2019 Summer Games have been no exception to this excellent track record.

This year, on 17-23 August, the Summer World Transplant Games are being organized in Newcastle Gateshead, UK. Participants from 53 countries from across the world arrived for the games with a number of countries taking part in the Games for the first time, including Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Andorra. Altogether 1,500 athletes registered to compete at various sporting venues across the North East during the Games. These highly emotive games are a celebration of a second chance of living life to the full. The Games demonstrate the success of transplant surgery and promote the need to increase organ donation and raise public awareness of discussing our wishes with our families.

Prof. Haberal greeting an athlete from the French team

The Opening Ceremony, marking the start of the Games, took place on August 17 with the attendance of close to 3000 people. In addition to the registered athletes, a large number of donors and donor families were also present. Following a welcome by WTGF President Mr. Chris Thomas, Prof. Mehmet Haberal, President of The Transplantation Society, was invited to make his opening remarks. Prof. Haberal stressed the importance of supporting such initiatives for all transplant recipients and donors throughout the world. Highlighting the importance of organ donation – in particular deceased donation – as the opportunity to give a second chance at life to the many patients with end stage organ failure, Prof. Haberal also indicated that through a collaboration with TTS and by adopting a more regional approach, the WTGF would be able to further its reach to countries that have been less active in this field. Prof. Haberal concluded by wishing the athletes a successful and enjoyable week and by presenting a congratulatory plaque to Mr. Chris Thomas on behalf of the WTGF for their hard work in organizing such a successful Summer Games.

ISN-TTS SISTER TRANSPLANT CENTERS PROGRAM

The deadline to submit an application to the ISN - TTS Sister Transplant Centers Program is October 1, 2019 (for 2020).

The ISN-TTS Sister Transplant Centers Program is a joint partnership set up between ISN and The Transplantation Society (TTS) to create new kidney transplant centers and develop existing kidney transplant programs in emerging countries. This initiative encourages transplant centers to work together to increase opportunities for kidney transplant patients in developing countries.

ISODP Sponsors Organ Donation Workshop in Cape Town

In September 2019 leaders from ISODP in collaboration with South African champions for organ donation will host a high- level workshop focused on Creating a National Strategy Roadmap to Improve Organ Donation in South Africa. Led by ISODP Past President Kimberly Young, Dr. David Thomson, University of Cape Town and ISODP President Susan Gunderson, this focused two day workshop will bring together key stakeholders from healthcare providers, government authorities, transplant leaders and donor hospital staff to identify the barriers and opportunities for change, and develop recommendations for a national approach to establishing a comprehensive donation system.

Africa as a continent has many unique obstacles to overcome to improve organ donation rates and access to transplantation for its population. And while some of the pioneering work in organ transplantation originated in South Africa, most notably the world's first human heart transplant in 1967, the country remains challenged by persistently low organ donation rates (approximately 1.5 donors per million population) and poor access to transplantation for the majority of its population.

The Workshop will bring together international donation leaders with key stakeholders from across South Africa with an action-oriented focus on developing a national strategy roadmap for enhancing referral and consent practices for organ and tissue donation in the South African context. With a goal of creating a practicing culture of donation the workshop will focus on three main areas:

• organ donation potential – identification and referral
• organ donation conversion – consent processes and rates
• data collection of key performance indicators and dissemination of this information to promote transparency and accountability to the public.

This ISODP Sponsored Workshop is part of an ongoing priority on advancing donation worldwide through professional leadership and development. This is the third in a series of targeted regional initiatives, structured to address unique and specific challenges in the region.  Previous successful programs conducted in Saudi Arabia and China launched structural change and systematic and sustained growth in organ donation.

We will be updating ISODP Members on the progress in the near future.

Mission:  The International Society for Donation and Procurement is the organization advancing donation through science, developing professionals and inspiring networks supporting organ donation to improve organ transplantation worldwide. We are the sole global professional organization focused exclusively on developing deceased donation programs to support the ever-growing need for organ transplantation.

Transplantation - Highlighted Article

Dr. Joel Thomas Adler, Editorial Fellow, Transplantation

Gender Disparities in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease Evaluated for Liver Transplantation

McElroy LM, Likhitsup A, Winder GS; et al.
Transplantation 2019 Jun 24. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000002843. [Epub ahead of print]

Little is known about gender differences in evaluation and listing for alcoholic liver disease. In a single center evaluation of 949 patients with alcoholic liver disease, men with alcoholic liver disease were both more likely to be listed and more likely to be transplanted. Men had more lifetime substance use while women had more psychiatric comorbidities and were less likely to be listed due to active substance use. In women with alcoholic liver disease, early, effective treatment of co-existing psychiatric and substance use disorders may improve transplant eligibility.

Transplantation - WEEK'S MOST DOWNLOADED PAPER