Rich Wendland

Hometown 
Little Canada, MN 

Connection to donation/transplantation
Bone Marrow Recipient in October 2002 at Fairview University Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Competitions/Events at the 2024 Transplant Games of America 
5K Run/Walk, Golf, and Darts 

How many Transplant Games have you attended?
2004 Minneapolis 
2010 Madison 
2012 Grand Rapids 
2014 Houston 
2016 Cleveland 
2018 Salt Lake City
2019 Newcastle upon Tyne, England (World Transplant Games)
2020/1 Virtual
2022 San Diego
2023 Perth, Australia (World Transplant Games)  

Why do you participate in the Transplant Games?
To promote donation and recognize the donor and their families. To show there is normal life after donation. 

One thing you want others to know about donation
At any given time, there are over 7,500 people looking for a bone marrow donor. You could be that living donor. My stem cells were harvested from an umbilical cord following the birth of a child. Check with your hospital if they provide that service.