LOWER MT. BETHEL TWP., Pa. — This weekend, a couple from the Lehigh Valley will head to Alabama for an athletic competition made possible only because of transplant operations.
Al and Vicki Piccotti of Martins Creek, near Easton, will compete in the ballroom dancing competition at the multi-sport Transplant Games of America.
The games are open to organ transplant recipients, living donors, bone marrow recipients and cornea and tissue transplant recipients from around the country.
This year, the Transplant Games will run from July 5-10 in Alabama.
"It really is like the Summer Olympics, but for transplant recipients.”Dwendy Johnson, Gift of Life Donor Program
"People from across the country come together to participate in Olympic-style games, but the interesting fact about that is people that are participating have had to receive an organ, a cornea or a tissue transplant,” said Dwendy Johnson, community relations supervisor for Gift of Life Donor Program.
"It really is like the Summer Olympics, but for transplant recipients.”
The Piccottis will participate as part of a team from Gift of Life Donor Program, which will send more than 130 adults and children from eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware to the Transplant Games to represent Team Philly.
About 50 of those people are transplant recipients or living donors who are eligible to compete, according to the organ procurement organization.
"The age bracket is anywhere from 8 years old, to over 70 years old to compete in these games,” Johnson said.
'Really remarkable'
Al Piccotti said both he and his wife "are in what they call category two, which is tissue and cornea transplant, because I had tissue replacement in both of my shoulders for reconstruction.”
His wife has undergone four cornea transplants.
“I had an infection, recurring infection in my eye over many years that left a lot of scarring on the cornea," she said. "That impaired my vision, and also the cornea was very thin."
The couple has participated in the bi-annual games since 2018, with ballroom dancing being their main event.
"Once we retired and the next promotion for the next Transplant Games came along, I said, 'Oh, look, they have ballroom dancing. Let's sign up and do that,'" Vicki Picotti said.
"So we went and took lessons for about four months and off we went.”
Al Picotti said, "It's kind of amazing when you realize that there are people out there doing the triathlon or doing the 100-meter dash or long-distance running, that have had kidney transplants, lung transplants, liver transplants.
“It's really remarkable."
'Help save somebody's lives'
Vicki Piccotti said they compete in the games to raise awareness about organ donation and Gift of Life donor program.
“The friends that we met along the way, and the mission of the organization to promote organ and tissue donation,” she said.
The Piccottis, who have been married more than 50 years, will head to Alabama on Wednesday and compete in their first event on Friday, when the games begin.
Some of the events include track and field, shot put, bowling, swimming, volleyball, basketball and cornhole, as well as card games that do not require physical activity.
"It's really bringing that awareness to the community that there are over 100,000 people that are waiting for our life-saving organ today."Dwendy Johnson, community relations supervisor for Gift of Life Donor Program
"It's really bringing that awareness to the community that there are over 100,000 people that are waiting for a life-saving organ today," Johnson said.
"And if we can just do our part by registering to be an organ donor, maybe someday we'll be able to help save somebody's lives through organ and tissue donation.”
Gift of Life Donor Program is working to register 50,000 new donors by the end of the year to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
People can become an organ donor by visiting donors1.org.
