Hundreds gather in Canberra for first Australian Transplant Games in six years

The sweaty, puffing, heart-pounding hallmarks of a good work-out are off-putting for many Australians, but 18-year-old Jazz Cairns can’t get enough.

Jazz has restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), a rare condition that causes the heart’s muscle walls to become stiff. 

As a result, the organ can’t pump blood around the body properly.

Until a heart transplant four years ago, attending school was a struggle and any sort of physical activity, near impossible for Jazz.

“A school day felt so long, like I was sprinting constantly … I had to use an electric scooter to help me get around,” he said.

“I couldn’t play sport, I couldn’t even walk up the stairs before … without getting super, super tired. And I slept so much.”

Determined to make the most of his “second shot” after receiving his transplant, Jazz joined his Newcastle high school’s basketball and volleyball teams as soon as he possible.

Events at the recent 17th Australian Transplant Games provide the school-leaver with a unique opportunity to take advantage of his “second shot”.

“It’s a celebration of life,” Transplant Australia chief executive Chris Thomas said.

“It’s an opportunity for transplant recipients to say, ‘thank you’ for the gift of life, to be as fit and active as possible, you know, around their transplanted organ, and to encourage all Australians to consider organ and tissue donation.”

Consent rate for transplants still a concern

Data from Services Australia and DonateLife shows 7.7 million people are on the Australian Organ Donor Register (AODR) — around 36 per cent of the eligible population.

There are currently 1,800 Australians waiting for a lifesaving transplant, with a further 14,000 on dialysis who would benefit.

“The big concern for Transplant Australia is still the actual consent rate,” Mr Thomas said. 

“Almost one in two families are still declining donation at that critical point in time.

“People might say, you know, ‘what’s in it for me? why would I?’ The reason is all these athletes…

Jazz agreed.

“For every single person here, it’s changed their life,” he said.

“Whether they’re a recipient or family member … it’s super, super amazing to see the impact that donors have.”

Hundreds of competitors gather for Games

The 2024 Games, in Canberra, included 20 sport and competition events over five days.

More than 500 Australians – all either transplant recipients, living donors, or donor families — descended on the capital to represent their state or territory.

They vied for a podium finish in everything from athletics, volleyball and swimming, to chess, sudoku, and lawn bowls.

The tournament is meant to be held every two years and had followed that schedule from the inaugural event in Melbourne, in 1988, to the Gold Coast Games in 2018.

A six-year pandemic-induced hiatus followed.

“It’s been a great opportunity to get the band back together again, if you like,” Mr Thomas said.

For Jazz, the Games also provide “more of a competition”.

“Obviously, when I’m playing sport [in Newcastle], I’m playing against people who haven’t really experienced that kind of thing,” he said.

“But when it’s here … we have similar experiences; and you kind of understand each other.

“I’ve only had four years of doing sport … and a couple of the boys, one’s [also] four and one’s 10 … It just feels better playing against them because they can relate.”

At 82, Esther Scott was the Games’ oldest competitor – and among the busiest.

She is the beneficiary of a liver transplant.

“I do lawn bowls, pétanque, ten-pin bowling, darts … and the five kilometre [DonateLife] walk tomorrow, if I’m still upright,” she joked.

“And I have been able to live them to the full.”