Locals set to take part in Canadian Transplant Games

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on July 27, 2024.

Submitted photo Jan Clemis, at centre, along with her daughters Carli Bekkering and Bonnie Turcato, show off their medals and Canadian pride at last year's World Transplant Games held in Perth, Australia.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Several Albertans will be taking part in the 2024 Canadian Transplant Games taking place in Ottawa at Carleton University from Aug. 3 to Aug. 9.

They include members of Logan Boulet’s family.

Jan Clemis, a kidney transplant recipient from Taber, is among the Canadian Transplant Games participants and said she is excited to attend.

“This is the first time the Games are hosted again in Canada after the COVID-19 pandemic so I am super excited to attend. I will be competing in different swimming events,” said Clemis.

She explained that the Canadian Games take place somewhere on even years but the last time they were held was in 2018 in Vancouver.

Clemis added that in odd numbered years the World Transplant Games are hosted around the world and she was able to attend last year’s games.

“Last year’s Games were in Perth, Australia and I was able to attend with my two daughters and they were able to participate as well. My daughter Carli Bekkering from Lethbridge received silver in the 50 meter freestyle swim and my daughter Bonnie Turcato received gold in the same category,” said Clemis.

She said the Games are geared towards transplant recipients to encourage healthy living after transplantation, but living donors, donor families and supporters are able to participate.

Clemis will be competing in the 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 50 meter backstroke, 50 meter butterfly and the 200 meter individual medley.

“We participate in the Games to honour their gift of a second chance at life. For me my gift came from my son Blair Clemis. He donated one of his kidneys to me on August 29, 2018 and it is thanks to him that I am able to continue living,” said Clemis.

She said after participating in the Worlds last year she gifted her medal to her son as a token of appreciation for his gift of life because if it wasn’t for him, she would not have been able to participate.

“It’s a special bond between us, it was a special moment for both of us when I gave him my medal,” said Clemis.

She said unfortunately her son will not be in Ottawa but her daughters will once again participate. She also told the Herald that Toby and Bernadine Boulet will be participating in different ways.

“Bernie and Toby will be golfing and playing pétanque and they will also be keynote speakers at the opening ceremonies,” said Clemis.

Another Albertan who will be participating in the Canadian Transplant Games is Sarah Lowry, a liver transplant recipient thanks to her sister Elizabeth Schneider who donated 75 per cent of her own liver to her in February 2019.

“Both of my sisters Emma Lowry and Elizabeth did the tests to find a match and unfortunately Emma was not a match. Elizabeth was not an exact match but she was more compatible. She gave me 75 per cent of her liver but now her liver has regenerated almost completely,” said Lowry.

She said she heard about the Games during a visit to her liver clinic in Calgary last November and she recruited both of her sisters and they will all be participating in Ottawa.

“We will all be doing running events and pétanque, which I have never played before but I have been researching about it and it’s similar to bocce ball which I am more familiar with and my sister Emma will be participating in the 5 km cycling event as well,” said Lowry.

Since this is her first time at the Games Lowry said she doesn’t know what to expect, but she is excited to meet other transplant recipients.

“I think just being able to meet other donors or recipients and talk about their situations and how they’re managing and continuing despite challenges,” said Lowry.