About
Team Transplant is a comprehensive training/exercise program that started at the University of Washington Medical Center in 2001 to promote fitness as well as organ donation awareness. Led by 3-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, Alysun Deckert, a registered dietitian at UWMC, the team’s goal is to train for and complete the Seattle Half Marathon. The group consists of UWMC staff, transplant recipients and their friends and family members. The first year, the team had 35 members. Five were transplant recipients. Since its inaugural year, Team Transplant has grown to over 180 participants, including 30 transplant recipients.Participants start training in mid-August, gradually building up their mileage over a 4-month period, to prepare for the 13.1 mile event. During this time, they are also encouraged to participate in informational clinics on stretching, strengthening, sports nutrition, walking technique, and hill running technique. In addition, they receive weekly motivational e-mails with team updates and training tips and are encouraged to attend group practices, held at various locations in the Seattle area on Saturday mornings.
Recent Press Releases:
Friend and Teammate, Steve Reynolds: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013400717_reynoldsobits11m.html
Jennifer Herlihy’s webcast on Patient Power, with Alysun Deckert and Dr. Carithers : http://www.patientpower.info/program/progress-in-liver-transplant-the-teams-perspective
Lenard Yen in today’s Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013545358_marathon29m.html
and their profiles: http://www.uwmcteamtransplant.com/meet-the-team/how-did-i-get-here
Team Transplant training with Secretary of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius: http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/News/Items/2011/Pages/Team-transplant-runs-with-HHS-secretary.aspx
Recap of Rock n Roll Marathon, Seattle, 2011
What an incredible day we had at the Seattle Rock’n Roll Half….The weather turned out to be perfect…the race was well-run and organized…and the music only helped elevate the energy level that can be generated when 25,000 highly motivated and enthusiastic people gather together in the middle of the street! We had 14 transplant recipients, 4 donors, and one of our pre-kidney transplants combined with 30 UWMC employees, friends, and family members mixing it up out there with the masses…and many others providing support along the way! It was a wonderful show of teamwork and team spirit!
But now…our big weekend has come and gone, and for most of us, life has moved on to vacation plans, enjoying long, sunny (?) days, and spending time with friends and family.
I hope that in the 2 weeks since the race, you’ve taken some time to really let the experiences of our past season sink in….let the memories simmer…and let them fill you with a sense of hope and purpose and confidence as you move forward into whatever great adventures you have planned for the summer and beyond….
It may be remembering how you persevered through a long workout in the rain and how wonderful it felt when you finished…when you’re feeling frustrated at work.
…or conjuring up a smile or giggle as you think back to some comment Lenard Yen or Mark Scott made during a warm-up routine… when you need to lighten up.
…or realizing how much progress you made over the course of 16 weeks (or for some of you the course of 10 years)….when it seems like you’re stuck in a holding pattern.
…or knowing that there is a group of truly wonderful people out there who care about you , look forward to seeing you on Saturday mornings…and eagerly await the start of our next season in August…when it feels like you’re going it alone.
As my summer swings into high gear, here are some of the memories that I will look back on for inspiration…
• Allen Vary’s amazing recovery and return to training
• Colin Rine’s comeback…It’s been what…?! 6 years since he’s completed a half marathon with us?
• Tami Sadusky is on the rebound!
• The incredible generosity of the 4 kidney donors who joined us for this year’s Rock’n Roll race: Katie Way, Erika Boysen, Deb Oliver, and Jennifer McDowell
• Newcomer and pre-kidney transplant, Alvin Valencia, showing us that it’s possible to be fit even while waiting for transplant (was that really a 1:57 that I saw on the official race clock??!)
• Watching Maggie Kim and Mari Jo Fraser run together at the RNR Half, all the while looking like 2 best friends who’ve know each other forever
• Lenard Yen’s ever increasing team spirit…Is there a limit to how much green this guy can exude??!
• Ron Adkins, Jon White, and Dick Fitzgerald who have all for some reason or other been limited in their training this past year but continue to come out and do what they can and support us in some way anyway.
• Jonathon Baird’s incredible smile and determination to be back in the fall!
• Micah Gwinn’s consistency and watchful concern for his team members
• Bob Oliver’s surprising debut!
• The return of Don McNeil….The man is back!
• The Rakitas reliable water station support this past spring…and how much they enjoyed checking out Mark Scott’s bakery recommendations!
• The traveling Big Backyard yard art gargoyle trophy (see attachment)—Thank you Pete Schille!
• Dixie Service finishing her first full marathon…and the text updates she provided along the way:-)
• How much fun Dixie, Bridget O’Connor, and Luann Majeed have chasing Marty Chakoian at practices!
• Running with Secretary Sebelius..I’m still flying high over that one!
• Jennifer Herlihy branching out to try new races and focus on her speed this summer…
• …and Sam Patterson’s bronze medal performance in the hockey arena!
• Jason Stahl’s growing confidence in his half marathon abilities!
• Dennis Cole’s patience and commitment to long-term progress!
• Carla Trulson Essenberg’s competitiveness and the joy she brings to every practice!
• Shari Jones dedication and desire to be a part of our group…driving from Bellingham to join us!
• Allison Enstrom’s enthusiasm and appreciation of her donor!
• Terry Way’s commitment to our team and to helping other transplant recipients
• Tess Brown and her camera!
• Mark Scott, & Co.…and how the company keeps growing!
• The commitment of our Team Transplant volunteers…what would we do without Janette Morantes, Susan Bussell, Julie Sprinkle, Tamar Solomon, Mikki Dailey, Mark Rosinbum, Ida and James Boeckstiegel????! ..as well as those folks who are available on a standby basis and willing to provide additional help when needed…like Shirley Schultz, Vanessa Whitacre, Laura Lewis, Lenore Miller, Kevin Lin, Cathy Seifert, Harch Ooi, and Ajit Limaye...
• …and finally…I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Seuss, Jack, Scooter, Abby, India, and Lucky….who are constant reminders of how joyful exercise can be when you make it about play!
And…as I look over the past year…I amazed at all that we’ve accomplished..
• We celebrated our 10th Seattle Half Marathon in November!
• We discovered a fun new way to bring team competition to our group and involve more people in an event with the First Ever UWMC Team Transplant Who Knows Their Fitness Big Backyard 5k Challenge!
• Jason Stahl’s profile in the UW Medicine Annual report
◦ http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Patient-Care/Locations/UWMC/Community-Relations/Patient-Stories/Pages/Jason-Stahl.aspx
• Jennifer Herlihy’s interview on Patient Power
◦ http://www.patientpower.info/program/progress-in-liver-transplant-the-teams-perspective
• Jennifer, Allen Vary, Maggie Kim (and me) all featured in the new UW Medicine branding campaign
◦ http://www.uwmedicinestories.org/stories.html
• Lenard Yen featured in the Seattle Times
◦ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013545358_marathon29m.html
• Running with the Secretary—who could forget Kathleen Sebelius, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, actually showing up and running a workout with us??
◦ http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/News/Items/2011/Pages/Team-transplant-runs-with-HHS-secretary.aspx
• Allison Enstrom’s big modeling debut in Tess Brown’s photo exhibit: Life 2.0, Second Chances, opening this week at Harborview Medical Center. (see attachment)
It’s been impressive…Thanks to each and everyone of you for the amazing part that you’ve played in making it all happen….I can only imagine what’s in store for next year!
Happy recovery, everyone….I’ll be in touch soon!
