It  was a  matter of great pleasure  that  Dayanand Medial College & Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, Punjab, hosted  the IX All India Transplant and SAARC games  from  27^th to 28^th October 2006  with the aim  of demonstrating, to the public ,the benefits of a successful  organ transplantation and promoting the complete rehabilitation and well being of the participants.  The Unit of Urology and Transplant Surgery , DMCH has made great strides  in creating awareness  in society about  the noble cause of organ donation.

Medical science has witnessed unprecedented breakthrough in recent years due to the diligence of the doctors engaged in medical research. The advancement of transplant surgery is, however the most remarkable by all counts. Kidney and other organ donations, besides being instrumental in the spectacular progress of transplant surgery, have given new lives to those who had lost  all hopes of surviving. It is however, vital that people should be widely educated to leave a will for donation of their organs after death for saving the precious lives of those who need an organ for survival.

The objective of holding the transplant games was to demonstrate to the public the collective and individual success of the life restoring therapy of organ transplantation.  More than one lakh people in India suffer from acute renal failure and need a kidney transplant. On an average, 30 patients die every day because they do not get a kidney. There is an urgent need to create awareness that people with organ transplants can also perform great feats, both on and off the playfield.  Unfortunately, not many are aware that people with organ transplants live a normal healthy life.

One brain dead person can give one heart, two lungs, liver, two kidneys, pancreas and even small intestine to patients suffering from acute failure or damage to these organs. Besides, a brain dead patient can help  50 other critically  persons by donating  the corneas, bones, heart valves, blood vessels bone marrow and other tissues.

In addition to the athletic events, a seminar on organ donation for the general public was held to create awareness about the critical need for organ donation and how decision to donate organs can save lives of patients with end stage organ failure.  This was organised on 26thOctober, a day earlier. Eminent speakers from all over India discussed the medical, economic , ethical, social and legal aspects of organ donation and transplantation. All the dignitaries and speakers were honoured during the seminar.  The Rotary International also actively participated in the seminar. A song dedicated to organ donation was sung by a choir of 50 school students. More than 500 delegates attended the seminar.

Before the start of the Transplant games an awareness walk was also organised in which thousands of people including foreign nationals from Pakistan participated.  Ten local colleges, 15 nurses colleges, 400 NCC cadets, two medical colleges (DMCH and CMCH) and society at large participated in the walk.  NCC horse riders also accompanied the participants. It was a colourful occasion. The walk started from Rose garden on 27^th Octber at 8.30 am and ended at Guru Nanak Stadium.

The games were held at Guru Nanak Stadium. All the participants of the games were very enthusiastic. It was a rare and wonderful spectacle to see people with transplanted kidneys and other organs, participate in various sports.

A donor card was released after the inauguration of the Games. In an effort to motivate the general public to sign for donor card, a symbolic large sozed donor card was signed by the dignitaries to promote organ donation.

A Donor Honouring ceremony was also arranged by the organisers. On this occasion, the organ donor families were honoured at the Guru Nanak Bhawan, Ludhiana. A cultural programme was also arranged especially for them and other participants. Famous Punjabi singer Mr. Harbhajan Mann entertained the audience with his songs – both old and new.

On the second day of the Transplant games, the prize Distribution ceremony  was held in the Dumra Auditorium of the DMCH, After the closing ceremony, many of the participants  became  very emotional and expressed their thanks to Dr. Baldev Singh Aulakh, the chief organiser of the event.

The success of the Transplant Games has created new opportunities to demonstrate the success of transplantation and the critical needs for additional donors.  The transplant community is now working on initiating programmes that celebrate the rehabilitation of formerly chronically ill individuals who through the life saving therapy of transplantation are able to live full and productive lives. The enthusiasm of the athletes has led to the emergence of local, state and regional activities, all of which publicize the fact that transplants do work.