Boulder Resident Melia Cargill Competes in U.S. Transplant Games

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A local group of athletes who share a unique bond are coming together for an athletic competition unlike any other—the National Kidney Foundation 2010 U.S. Transplant Games. Sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the Games are an Olympic-style competition for recipients of life-saving transplants, including kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas and bone marrow. Organized by the National Kidney Foundation Serving CO, MT, and WY, Team Rocky Mountain will participate in the event to be held July 30 to August 4 in Madison, Wisconsin.

One athlete from Team Rocky Mountain is four year-old Melia Cargill, who received a liver transplant at eight months of age.
Here is Crystal Cargill, Melia’s mother, in her own words:

“Melia was our first child. We like to joke that she was our rough introduction to parenthood. She was born with a rare metabolic disorder called Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency--a long, serious name for a serious disease that led us down a long road. There is no way to test for the disorder during the pregnancy.

Melia started to exhibit symptoms shortly after birth. She stopped nursing, became lethargic, and started having seizures. Three days after she was born, Flight for Life came and took her to The Children's Hospital in Denver. She was continuing to deteriorate quickly, but Children’s Hospital had specialists familiar with this rare disorder. They were able to stabilize her and we were able to take her home after three weeks. Unfortunately, her body could not remain stabilized and she would have an episode with no notice. Melia’s liver was missing one of the enzymes that is needed to break down protein, without it the result was life threatening. There is no way to describe the fear of racing the clock, knowing that your child's body and brain is filling with toxic ammonia that could lead to brain damage, coma, and eventually death. Melia needed a new liver to survive.

Melia was on the waiting list for three months before receiving her new liver at the tender age of eight months. When we brought her in for surgery, I told her to ‘show them who's boss.’ She did and she continues to do so. She is now a sweet and sassy preschooler. She can out-talk an auctioneer and runs to get everywhere. She knows her correct dose of Prograf and is brave about her ‘poke-pokes.’ There is no way to describe what her transplant has done and how it has changed our lives. We now live with hope. We can imagine her graduating from high school. As a dear friend pointed out, it not only saved Melia's life, but it saved mine as well.

We are so excited for Melia to compete in her first Transplant Games this summer. There are so many reasons that we want this to be the beginning of a long, meaningful tradition. We are thrilled that she will be able to meet so many others who have been through similar experiences. Melia will begin to understand she is part of a community of survivors. We are proud that she can compete, that she can use her body and learn how strong she is. We are honored to be a part of a celebration and promotion of transplantation. And we are humbled to be doing it all in memory of her donor, sweet Sebastian, and in honor of his courageous family.”

Held biennially, the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games draw transplant athletes from across the country who compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in one or more of 12 sports, including cycling, golf, racquetball, swimming, tennis, and track and field events. With an anticipated 7,000 athletes participating, the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games promise to be the largest-ever gathering of transplant recipients.

More than 100,000 Americans are currently waiting for transplants of vital organs. Eighteen people die each day while waiting.

For questions or to find out how you can support Team Rocky Mountain, call Lynn Hellickson at 720.748.9991 ext. 113 or visit www.transplantgames.org.