Team Kentucky goes for the gold at the 2026 Transplant Games

Lexington, Ky. (May 12, 2026) — Imagine the Olympic Games, but without the cutthroat competition and the do-anything-to-win mentality. Replace it with a friendly, supportive atmosphere where everyone cheers for everyone, and just being there means you’re already a winner.

That’s the vibe of the Transplant Games, a nationwide celebration of organ donation where recipients, living donors, donor families, those waiting for a transplant, as well as organ donation advocates come together for six days of friendly competition across a variety of events. Held every two years, the games feature 20 competitions for recipients and living donors along with events that provide opportunities to celebrate donors, attend lectures and workshops and connect with others. Events range from basketball and biking to card games and trivia. There’s something for everyone, regardless of their health status or physical ability.

Representing the Bluegrass State in the 2026 games are the members of Second Chance at Life/Team Kentucky. Thirty-two competitors from all over the Commonwealth are making the trip to Denver in June — all in top form, high spirits and ready to play. They come from all backgrounds, but they have one thing in common — they’ve been deeply impacted by someone’s choice to donate their organs. Most of the team is comprised of organ recipients who got their second chance at life at UK HealthCare’s Transplant Center. Others are living donors who donated a kidney to a loved one or a stranger in need. They are joined by donors’ families — those who will get to watch the legacy of their loved ones live on.

A family affair

For Chuck Gutenson, who received a kidney in 1997, the games bring a new definition to sibling rivalry. He and his brother Dan and sister Sandy competed in the 2024 games in Birmingham, Alabama. It was Chuck’s first time competing; his brother Dan has participated for years. Sandy can’t make it to the games this year, but her domination on the basketball court at the 2024 games is still talked about today. All three siblings received kidney transplants at UK HealthCare after they were all diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease.

“When I first discovered that I had polycystic kidney disease when I was 31, I had no idea when I would eventually need a transplant,” Chuck said. “It turns out my mother had polycystic kidney disease, my uncle and both my siblings. I used to tease the doctors that we should get a family discount with that many kidney transplants being needed in our family.”

The games are more than a way to connect with people on a similar journey. For Chuck, the opportunity to compete gives him a reason to get moving.  

“To me, the thing that makes this a worthwhile enterprise for folks is it encourages us to get back in shape,” he said. “After a transplant, you’re on all these meds and it takes a while to adjust to them, it’s easy to sort of drop out and strain to stay in good condition. This encourages you to do that. For those of us who competed off and on in our lives anyway, it’s sort of a natural, draw-you-back-in sort of thing.”

The top of the mountain

Tom Williams has been active all his life but had to slow down after he was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease in 2018. He will be competing for the first time at the 2026 games, taking part in the 20-kilometer bike race – powered by his new lungs.

“I wanted to do something that challenged me,” he said. “And I figured this would be the thing that’s going to push me the hardest.”

Tom received a double lung transplant in 2021. Since then, he has worked hard to rebuild his strength and stamina. He’ll need it when he’s racing through Denver’s notorious high altitude.

“It took a while after my transplant to start building things back up,” he said. “Last year we took a trip out west and I hiked 11,000-foot elevation out of Breckenridge. I knew I could do it. But my first pulmonary doctor told me, ‘You have this disease and you’ll never go to high altitudes again’. So, I had a special moment on top of that mountain.”

The heart of Team Kentucky

Sallie Wilson has been the manager of Team Kentucky for almost as long as there’s been a team. The threads of her connection to organ donation are tightly woven through multiple stories. She recalls when her mother said she wanted to donate her eyes when she died — a wish that Sallie and her family honored.

“We grew up in a family where organ donation was something we always talked about and supported,” she said.

Her son joined the organ donation registry when his was 18, an act that spared Sallie and her husband from making a painful decision when he later died in a car accident. Knowing that her son lives on through others is what helped Sallie find her calling. Since 1996, she’s been a passionate advocate for organ donation and works tirelessly to support organ recipients and donor families through the complicated and emotional journey of donation. Sallie first went to the games in 1998; she became the team manager in 2011 and has been the heart of the team ever since. Her life would eventually place her on all sides of organ donation, embarking on a full-circle journey few would understand.

In 2007, Sallie received her first kidney transplant. For seven years, she fought her own body’s rejection of the organ until it finally gave out. In 2015, she received her second kidney, followed shortly after by a pancreas transplant. As both an organ recipient and the mother of a donor, she understands this world better than anyone. She is uniquely qualified to guide others through not just the Transplant Games, but through all aspects of organ donation — the recovery, the grieving and the celebration.

“I live every day for this work,” she said. “I just absolutely love this group. There’s been several times I’ve tried thinking about giving up the position, but every time I just keep coming back. My family doesn’t understand it, but I understand it. They’re like, ‘why do you do this?’ This is what I was led to do.”

The road to Denver

It takes more than luck and determination to get the games — it also requires a lot of money. In April, Medicinal Whiskey Charity presented the team with $20,000 to help cover the cost of their trip. Malay Shah, M.D., is not only the surgical director of UK HealthCare’s liver transplant program, but also a member of Medicinal Whiskey Charity’s board of directors. He describes seeing his patients living their new lives to the fullest and competing on a national stage as the ultimate measure of success.

“This is awesome — this is why we transplant,” he said. “To get people back to normal, healthy living. We want them to bring home all the medals, of course. But these events raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and transplantation. That’s what these guys do. We get them healthy, get them living again, and they go out and are the biggest and strongest advocates for everything we do.”

When not training for the games, Sallie and the rest of the Second Chance at Life crew conducts fundraising efforts throughout the year, but not just for the games. They help donor families with cost of gas and hotel expenses as they navigate the emotional donation journey. They describe themselves as “like a family of kindred souls who care for each other and a support group to any and all people related to transplantation.” Any money left over from what they raised for the games goes directly to supporting their mission.

Linda Baxter received a liver transplant in 2019 with Shah as her surgeon. He beamed with pride as he watched her talk excitedly with her teammates. At the 2024 games, she was recovering from two broken arms but was still able to compete in the trivia and Texas Hold ’em events. Although she’s excited to compete again at the 2026 games, she says the actual competition is just a very small part of the overall event.

“It’s not if you win a medal or not — it’s just being there,” she said. “It’s a good feeling, seeing everybody. That means a lot. But the main thing is going and showing support for not just our team, but for everybody. We're all connected.”

The 2026 Transplant Games take place June 18-23 in Denver. Learn more about Second Chance at Life/Team Kentucky and support their journey.