World Transplant Games to be Held in Durban

From Sunday, the World Transplant Summer Games 2013 will be conducted in the South African city of Durban.

More than 1,800 participants from 50 countries and regions will take part in the Games,in which there would be over 50 events including golf, volleyball, bowling, athletics, swimming, tennis and squash, reports Xinhua.

Liver donors can thrive after transplant
Contrary to belief that donating liver can injure the donor, it is now established without doubt that a living person can donate a part of his liver

The Games are the biggest organ donor awareness event in the world, those who will compete in the event will be recipients of either solid organs or bone marrow.

The event is aimed at encouraging the public to be organ donors and offer hope to those waiting transplants.

The World Transplant Games Federation president Olivier Coustere Thursday said: "Countries that have hosted the event have experienced a 30 percent or higher increase in organ donation rates."

Infant receives first bloodless liver transplant

An Iowa infant aged 7 months was the first recipient of a bloodless liver transplant in Los Angeles, the United States of America.

James Nxumalo, Mayor of Ethekwini Municipality where the games would be held, Thursday expressed joy at hosting the competition.

"The world transplant games are a celebration of the human spirit, giving individuals with previously life-threatening illnesses the chance to compete in a high-level sports event and prove that they can not only lead normal, fulfilling lives, but push the boundaries of their physical endurance," Nxumalo said.

Useful drug for stem cell transplant problem
A new drug rescues patients suffering potentially fatal liver complications from cancer therapy. Generally high doses of chemotherapy are given

Source-IANS