--- title: Terp Set to Compete in World Transplant Games date: 2025-08-13T05:30:00-04:00 author: University of Maryland canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/terp-to-compete-in-world-transplant-games" section: Articles --- # Terp Set to Compete in World Transplant Games *August 13, 2025* — by [Annie Krakower](/author/annie-krakower) > 3-Time Kidney Recipient Embraces Chance to Promote ‘Miracles of Modern Medicine’ *Kai TT 7 2 1920x1080 — Kai Dambach ’13 plays table tennis at the 2019 World Transplant Games in Newcastle, United Kingdom. The alum, who’s had three kidney transplants, will compete in his fourth Games in Dresden, Germany, starting Sunday. (Photo by Kay Dambach)* Early one morning in 1996, just days after 4-year-old Kai Dambach had received his second kidney transplant, he dragged his mom and donor, his IV pole trailing behind them, to the hospital playroom. It hadn't even opened for the day, but he was determined to be first in line to fire up the Super Nintendo. Now, the University of Maryland alum is applying that same drive on a much bigger stage, along with thousands of others who share a special bond. Starting Sunday, athletes from 60 nations will take the field and court for the 25th [World Transplant Games](https://wtg2025.com/about-the-games/), a weeklong event featuring 2,500 organ transplant recipients and donors competing in 17 sports. With the ultimate goal of raising awareness of lifesaving transplantation, this year’s Games in Dresden, Germany, will be the fourth for Dambach ’13. He’ll be competing in basketball, squash, shot put, discus, ball throw and pétanque, a bocce-like game. “Every single one of those people who’s competing out there, they’re not supposed to be alive today,” he said. “The miracles of modern medicine are just profound, and we’re living proof of that. It’s a beautiful thing that we all come together, and we can share in the gift of life.” Diagnosed as a baby with posterior urethral valves and end-stage renal disease, he had his right kidney removed as a 1-year-old, then received the organ from his dad when he was 2. *Young boy in hospital gown hugs kneeling woman. — Kai Dambach ’13 hugs his mom, Kay Dambach, a few days after she donated her kidney to him in 1996. (Photo courtesy of Kai Dambach)* **Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people) **Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni), [Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/athletics-tag) **Units:** [College of Arts and Humanities](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-arts-and-humanities), [Philip Merrill College of Journalism](https://today.umd.edu/topic/philip-merrill-college-journalism)