January 26, 2001

Bryan Wentzell describes his recent ski trip to the Swiss Alps as an incredible experience. The 27-year-old went to Nendaz, Switzerland to participate in a winter sports event that attracted athletes from around the world. He was one of only 10 athletes from the United States to compete — the only one from New England. Like most sporting events, the competition was fierce. But unlike other competitions, all of the athletes had at least one thing in common — they were all transplant recipients.

Wentzell's journey to this competition started in 1996, when he was a junior in college and went to his family's physician with what appeared to be a case of gout. He then was referred to a nephrologist — a physician specializing in treating kidneys — who found that Wentzell suffered from a chronic disease called renal agenesis. Within two years, he would have to undergo dialysis on a permanent basis or have a kidney transplant.

At that time, Wentzell's life didn't change much. He moved to Alaska to study anthropology at the graduate school of the University of Alaska. An avid outdoorsman, he continued to hike, backpack and ski until he finally had to return to the Boston area in 1997 to begin dialysis. He made the best of the situation, undergoing treatments in the mornings and working as a ski instructor at a local resort in the afternoons.

In 1998, after four months waiting on the national organ donation list, Wentzell was notified of a donor kidney. He underwent a successful transplant surgery at the MGH and recovered quickly because of his good health.

With a new lease on life, Wentzell was determined to continue his active lifestyle. He went to the Winter World Transplant Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January 1999, where he competed in the downhill skiing competition. A multidisciplinary sporting event, the World Transplant Games are held every two years and are open to recipients of any life-saving organ or solid tissue transplant. The purpose of the event is to promote the importance of organ donation and the success of transplantation by showcasing the athletic abilities of transplant recipients. Competitors from more than 60 countries vie for gold, silver and bronze medals.

"It was great to meet people from all over the world who are like-minded," says Wentzell. "I met 40- and 50-year-old transplant recipients who are super athletes, often in better shape than before they had their operations. Some who attend are just glad to be alive and able to participate. Others are very competitive and go to the games to win."

His experience in Salt Lake City was so profound for him that Wentzell jumped at the chance to compete in the 2001 Winter Games that were held Jan. 14 to 19 in Switzerland. "I had never been to Europe, so I just wanted to go for the experience," he says. Wentzell placed fifth in the slalom event and reports that "the weather was phenomenal and the mountains incredible."

Wentzell adds: "I think it is important to get the word out about organ donation. Without my transplant, I would have been on dialysis for the rest of my life. There is no way I could do half the things I do if I were on dialysis. I hope that more people will talk to their families about the decision to donate. And it is important for people to see these athletes lead active, productive lives because of a life-saving transplant — especially heart and liver recipients, whose options would have been either a transplant or death."

Wentzell's MGH caregivers are proud of his accomplishments and spirit to live life to its fullest. "Bryan is a great person," says Francis Delmonico, MD, director of MGH Renal Transplantation, and Wentzell's transplant surgeon. "He has such an enthusiasm for life. It is our delight to see him perform so well in these transplant games."