07/29/10

Madison is an inclusive city, or at least strives to be an inclusive city. It's also a city that likes a good game. All of which make this weekend's National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games a perfect fit. First of all it's an honor to welcome the 12-hundred organ transplant recipients, 560 donor families and 250 living donors attending the games to our city. Their participation is an inspiration and a vivid reminder of the 108-thousand Americans currently awaiting life-saving organ transplant.

But the games are also an opportunity for us to cheer on these athletes, makes them and their families feel at home in our city and help make these games a success. With Madison's growing status as a center for life giving medical research this is where the transplant games should be. There'll be representatives from all 50 states. And we're proud to be their host.