Hoosiers united through lifesaving organ donation prepare for Olympic-style 2026 Transplant Games of America

A group of 45 Hoosiers – strangers yet united by a shared second chance at life made possible through organ and tissue donation and transplantation – is preparing for a national, Olympic-style competition in June in Colorado.

For more than three decades, the Transplant Games of America has celebrated resilience and renewal for transplant recipients and the extraordinary legacies of donors whose lifesaving gifts shine through the games’ athletes and participants.

Held every two years, this year’s games run June 18 to 23 in Denver and will draw more than 3,000 competitors – all of whom have had lifesaving transplants or are living donors. Athletes from 43 states will compete in 20 sports while other participants will vie for top titles in recreational competitions.

Athletes and participants will be joined by their ardent supporters, including family members and friends, and others, including family members of donors, healthcare professionals, caregivers, and donation supporters from throughout the U.S.

“The games honor the legacies of organ and tissue donors who gave the ultimate gift of life,” said Lindsey Johnson, who manages Team Indiana, which consists of athletes and participants from throughout the state. Johnson also oversees Indiana’s donor registry, the list of residents who sign up to be organ and tissue donors through Donate Life Indiana. “The games celebrate donor heroes and showcase transplant recipients who are today living – thriving in life and in competition – because of someone’s selfless decision to be a lifesaving organ and tissue donor.”

Participating teams like Team Indiana play an important role in carrying out the mission of the Transplant Games of America, which is to heighten awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation and lifesaving transplantation, Johnson said.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded in all competitions, including team sports like basketball, volleyball and pickleball, and individual sports like track and field, swimming, tennis, golf, and cycling. Other competitions will include recreational events like ballroom dancing, cornhole, darts, poker, and trivia.

Stories from local Team Members

Brett Schmutte, Noblesville

Brett Schmutte is a living liver donor. He is the brother-in-law of the late Bryan Murphy, a former Indiana Donor Network employee who died and became a tissue donor.

“Meeting my recipient and her family changed everything. Seeing their gratitude firsthand made me realize the gravity of what a transplant truly means for a family’s future,” Schmutte said. “That impact reached my own family, too. My brother-in-law was moved by my donation. About a year after my donation, he took a job at Indiana Donor Network. He became deeply passionate about their mission. Tragically, just a month into his new role, he was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer. Even in his final months, his focus remained on giving back. While he couldn’t donate solid organs due to his treatment, he was able to donate tissue and gave his brain to science to help find a cure.”

Schmutte will compete in cycling.

Jacquin Gallagher, Westfield

Jacquin Gallagher of Westfield was a living donor to her nine-year-old daughter in 1993. Her two sons are both kidney transplant recipients. Gallagher will compete in swimming, track and field, and a 5K road event. One of her sons will also be competing in the games.

About Donate Life Indiana
Since 1998, Donate Life Indiana has been the state-authorized nonprofit organization responsible for managing the Indiana donor registry. Its mission is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana citizens to sign up on the organization’s official state registry while striving to raise awareness for organ, tissue and cornea donation and transplantation through public education. For more, visit Donate Life Indiana online.