South Africa:19th World Transplant Games

To celebrate the triumph of the human spirit and the hope that is behind every organ transplant, the World Transplant Games 2013 took place in Durban from 28 July to 4 August 2013. The South African Post Office marked this special event by issuing ten stamps and two commemorative covers on 29 July 2013 to commemorate the staging of the games and to raise awareness over the need for more people in the country to become organ donors.

Issue Description
Following the successful hosting of various international sport events, notably the 2010 FIFA&trade; World Cup, South Africa has become a much sought-after destination not only for tourists, but also for hosting international events. The 19th World Transplant Games is an opportunity for recipients of organ transplants from more than 55 countries worldwide to win gold, silver and bronze medals. They will participate in 13 different sporting codes at various venues around Durban.

Touring and sightseeing opportunities will be plentiful for all wanting to experience the vibrancy, beautiful coastline and diverse cultures which make Durban in the Zulu Kingdom, a unique and exciting destination.

South Africa Transplant Sports Association of (SATSA)

SATSA started off as the Transplant Games Association of South Africa (TGASA), which was established in April 1994 by a small group of organ transplantees. They felt the need for an organisation that would promote an active lifestyle and an involvement in various sporting activities for transplant recipients.

These goals have been pursued ever since and a South African team has participated in every World Transplant Games since 1995.

In September 2006, the Association's name was changed to South African Transplant Sports Association (SATSA) and a new Constitution was adopted. SATSA is a member of the World Transplant Games Federation (WTGF) and is recognised by the South African Department of Sport and Recreation. It is also an Affiliated Member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

The World Transplant Games are held every two years. In 1997, the South African team was awarded national colours for the first time and in January 2010, a South African team participated for the first time in the Winter World Transplant Games in France.

To facilitate the selection of participants, South Africa is divided into the following regions: Eastern Cape/Border; Free State and North West; Gauteng; Mpumalanga and Limpopo; and KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Northern Cape.

SATSA is a registered non-profit organisation representing transplant recipients, donor families (including living donors), healthcare professionals involved in organ donation and transplantation, corporate businesses involved in transplantation and corporate business involved in funding and sponsorships.

Members of the association take part in a wide range of sport disciplines of which the main ones in the Summer Games are track and field, badminton, cycling, golf, lawn bowls, mini marathon (road race), rowing, squash, swimming, table tennis, ten-pin bowling, tennis and volleyball.

The sport disciplines in the Winter Games include ski slalom, ski giant and super giant, and parallel slalom, cross-country ski, biathlon, curling and snow shoe.

The World Transplant Games Federation (WTGF)

The WTGF is officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee. A key goal of the World Transplant Games Federation is to bridge the gap between the need for an organ and tissue transplant and the hundreds of thousands of people who die around the world each year, because no organs are available to them.

For more than 25 years, the WTGF has been staging international sporting events for transplant athletes to demonstrate the physical success of transplant surgery and to raise awareness of the need to increase organ donation.

More than 1,500 athletes representing some 69 countries compete in the Summer World Transplant Games every two years at a high level. It also presents an opportunity to meet with other transplant recipients in an atmosphere of fun and friendship.

The largest contingent of athletes will come from Great Britain and Northern Ireland with 298 athletes, followed by 142 from the United States, 136 athletes from South Africa and 110 from the Netherlands.

The purpose of the WTGF is to visibly demonstrate the benefits of successful organ transplantation, increasing public awareness of its success and thereby increasing organ donation rates, as well as promoting the full rehabilitation and well-being of participants.

Their continuing efforts to promote the benefits of transplantation by staging the Summer and Winter Games helps to draw the attention of the public to the need for more organ donors, thereby saving countless lives across the world.

Issue Details
The series of 10 stamps feature the work of artist Peter Sibanda.

It is the first time a country's postal system has had stamps designed and unveiled for the World Transplant Games.

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