Ken S.: Discovering His Potential Through the Games

Ken S. competed in a mixed swim relay at the Transplant Games, marking his first experience in a relay event. He expressed his excitement, sharing, “It feels amazing… I’ve attended two or three previous Games, but we never had enough participants to form a relay team.” Ken’s journey has been challenging; as a two-time kidney transplant recipient, he has come to deeply appreciate the importance of health and community.

Ken leans on his family and friends and considers therapy a vital part of maintaining his mental health. Building a strong support network has proven essential, offering him a group of people to turn to before he faces a crisis.

“Before my first transplant, I never imagined that I could do anything athletic.” He credits the Transplant Games and his swimming team for helping him discover his potential. “It’s just been such an amazing thing. It’s been great for my health, building community, and connecting with other people.”

Ken is now in training for the final AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride from San Francisco all the way to Los Angeles in June of 2025. He hopes to use this experience to raise awareness about the expansion of the HOPE Act, which allows for liver and kidney transplants from donors living with HIV to recipients living with HIV without needing to be part of a research study.

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