Transplant Games of America

How exciting that the Transplant game came to Utah, We got shirts made for the event to show Makenzie support. The first day was August 3rd. Today is the beginning of the transplant games. Makenzie did her first event in the transplant games this morning! She competed in her very 1st 1k cycling.
We have already met so many amazing people from out of state that can relate to Makenzie, Tonight was also the opening ceremony of the transplant games. Makenzie was asked to hold the flag to represent Utah/Idaho. It was an amazing, and emotional event. 

August 4th, Makenzie had another event this morning. She played table tennis. It was so fun watching her, she has been practicing for a few months to prepare for this day. She first played against a 12 year old girl from Texas who had a lung transplant. MAKENZIE won that round. Then she went against a 14 year old girl from Philadelphia who also had a lung transplant. Makenzie didn't win that round. Then Makenzie and the girl from Texas went at it for the gold on the final round, it was a nail bitter, they had to win 3 out of 5 games, they were tied 2-2 and Guess who won the gold? Makenzie got first place over all!! Woot woot way to go Mac N' Cheese!! So grateful for her donor, if it wasn't for them she wouldn't be here competing. 

Tonight was an emotional night at the Donor Tribute Ceremony. It was an amazing line up of recipient's sharing stories, and a mother sharing her story of donating her little 2 year old girls organs. It hits hard to me on both sides of organ donation. My little sister Jessica was a donor when she passed away, and with Makenzie being on the receiving end of it, we are so grateful for her donor. Makenzie was also part of the light ceremony, it was such an amazing event to watch.

On August 5th, MaKenzie's 3rd event she wanted to try corn hole. She did amazing at it. She finished with a silver medal!! 

Also For the transplant games, they had an option to make a quilt square honoring donors. Makenzie made one for her donor, and today she was able to pin it on a quilt that will get quilted together with other quilt squares, and travel with the transplant games. I also made one for my sister who passed away at the age of 13, my parents decided to donate her cornea's and heart valve's. 

After the quilt pinning ceremony, we were walking out and a guy stopped Makenzie and told him he had heard her story, and told her that he had lost his daughter 5 years ago, and was able to meet the girl that got her heart. So heart transplant recipient's are near and dear to his heart.
After his daughters passing they started a memorial bear drive, where they deliver bears to hospitals for the children staying there. He happened to have a backpack full of these bears and gave Makenzie one. 
These families that give at a time of grief are the hero to families that are on the receiving end. Because if it weren't for them Makenzie, and so many people would not be here to live life. We are so incredibly grateful for MaKenzie's donor family and the decision they made to give her a second chance at life. 

Last day of the transplant games. Makenzie competed in darts (cricket) and darts (501). She did amazing, in cricket she got silver, and 501 she won the bronze. It has been a long exhausting week, but so inspirational at the same time. We have met so many amazing people from donor families, to recipient's. From hugs to tears, laughter and hope. 

The transplant games happen every two years, who knew lol. We just heard about it this year, and Makenzie had so much fun meeting kids just like her.
Maybe we will try and travel to the games in 2020. Here are some highlights of today. Makayla and myleigh also met some ladies from Australia and they gave them a shirt from Australia and a koala bear !!

5 events, 5 medals. She did amazing, her first years of the transplant games!
Gold in cycling
Gold in table tennis
Silver in corn hole
Darts (cricket) silver
Darts (501) bronze
#hearttransplant #teammacncheese #teamutahidaho
Makenzie also helped set a Guinness world record of having the most transplant recipient's in one room of 540 recipients!