Tammy Winter

Hometown 
Dilworth, MN 

Connection to donation/transplantation 
I am the recipient of a deceased-donor kidney in 1997. I was transplanted at the University of MN Fairview Hospital and am currently a patient of Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND. 

Competitions/Events at the 2024 Transplant Games of America 
I will be competing in Bowling, Doubles Bowling, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker and Volleyball. 

How many Transplant Games have you attended?
This will be the fourth Transplant Games of America I have been to. The others are Minneapolis in 2004, Houston in 2014, and San Diego in 2022. 

Why do you participate in the Transplant Games? 
I love the opportunity to be that spark of hope and inspiration for those early on in their transplant journey.  So often it’s easier to hear about the tough times people go through than the good times.  I try to even the field to let people know that transplant can go very well and give decades of a better quality of life.  This summer I will celebrate 27 years! 

One thing you want others to know about donation
I want other people to talk about donation, to spread the word. The more comfortable people are to talk about it, the more comfortable people will be at those tragic moments when these huge decisions need to be made. Not everyone who knows me knows my medical history. I love to see the look on people’s faces when I tell them I had a transplant. Especially how long I have had mine. I want to spread hope and inspiration.