Transplant Recipient Helps Set A Record

Heart transplant recipient Christian Siems, left, traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah during the first week of August to compete in the 2018 Transplant Games of America.
Photos courtesy of Michele Martines

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

A local heart transplant recipient took part earlier this month in an event that highlights the lasting legacy of organ donors.

Christian Siems, 24, of Greenlawn, traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah during the first week of August to compete in the 2018 Transplant Games of America.

The Transplant Games are hosted by the Transplant Life Foundation and competition events are open to organ, bone marrow, corneal and tissue transplant recipients, as well as living donors.

Siems, a 2012 Harborfields High School graduate, received his heart transplant on April 25, 2015 after suffering from cardio myopathy that was first diagnosed in 2012.

Siems received his heart from a U.S. Marine named Nichols Brown whose organs saved a total of four lives. Siems said he decided to compete in the Transplant Games in honor of Brown.

“I thank my donor every day- he saved my life and the lives of 3 others,” Siems said. “Without my donor, I would not be here.”

Not every New Yorker is as luckily as Siems. The state ranks last in the country for registered donors, and every 18 hours a New Yorker dies waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

Part of the mission of the Transplant Games is to increase awareness of the life-restoring importance of organ donation and increase the number of individuals registering as donor candidates.

These were Siems’ second Transplant Games, and he competed with solid organ transplant recipients from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a member of Team Liberty.

Siems competed with Team Liberty, comprised of transplant recipients from New York and Connecticut. 
Photo courtesy Michelle Martines

Team Liberty was one of 43 teams made up of 2830 solid organ transplant recipients from across the country that came together to compete in Badminton, Ballroom Dancing, Bowling, Corn hole, Cycling, Darts, Golf, Lyrics for Life, Racquetball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Trivia Challenge, Poker and Youth Olympiad.

Siems took home a silver medal in Men’s Golf, one of Team Liberty’s 98 medals.

Siem’s was part of another accomplishment: 540 organ recipients attended the closing ceremony on Aug. 7, officially earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most transplant recipients together in the same place.

“It is an amazing experience to be with people from all across the country who have received lifesaving transplants,” said Siems. “Donor families, recipients and supporters come together to share experiences, it is very emotional.”

Team Liberty is slated to host the 2020 Transplant Games at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.