After a six-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Australian transplant games are underway in Canberra. More than 5-hundred recipients, living donors, and donor families from around the country are participating in the five-day tournament, showcasing the athletic ability possible from the 'gift of life', and honouring the sacrifice of those responsible.
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00:00As a heart transplant recipient, Jazz Cairns' medication-heavy game day routine is usually
00:09the exception rather than the rule.
00:12But at this sporting tournament, the opposite is true.
00:15Obviously when I play sport I'm playing against people who haven't really experienced that
00:18kind of thing.
00:19But when it's here, it's kind of like more of a competition because it's like me and
00:23you have the same thing, we have similar experiences and you can kind of like understand each other.
00:29This 17th Australian Transplant Games features more than 500 participants representing their
00:34states and territories in 20 events.
00:37Everything from track and field and swimming to chess, scrabble and petanque.
00:43They're open to and suitable for transplant recipients, living donors and donor families
00:50with more competitive athletes mixing it up with those here for fun and friendship.
00:55All living proof of the sacrifice and success of transplantation.
01:00My life's been completely different since I couldn't play sport.
01:03I couldn't even walk up the stairs before transplant without like getting super, super
01:07tired and I slept so much.
01:11I do lawn bowls, petanque, ten pin bowling, darts and the 5k walk tomorrow I hope if I'm
01:21still upright.
01:22At 82, Esther Scott is the Games' oldest athlete and biggest fan.
01:28I'm just so very, very grateful to whoever my donor family were that I have had these
01:3414 extra years of life and I have been able to live them to the full.
01:41All participants helping to raise awareness and encourage an important conversation.
01:47With 1800 Australians currently waiting for a life-saving transplant and just over a third
01:52of Aussies registered as donors.
01:54We want all Australians to register as organ donors but people might say well what's in
02:00it for me?
02:01Why would I?
02:02The reason is all of these athletes.
02:04Giving more Australians a sporting chance.