Sean Elliot's Amazing Return - the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California

NEWSFLASH

SEAN ELLIOTT TO SERVE AS SPOKESPERSON FOR NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION 2000 U.S. TRANSPLANT GAMES

All counties within Southern California – April 2000 - San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott, who underwent kidney transplant surgery August 16, 1999, will serve as spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation 2000 US Transplant Games. This Olympic-style event, to be held June 21-24, 2000 in Orlando, Florida at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, is for athletes who have received life-saving organ transplants of every type, including kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas and bone marrow. Transplant athletes will compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals in 13 different sports including track and field, swimming, tennis, basketball, cycling and golf. Elliott will participate in the torch lighting at Opening Ceremonies, the basketball event, and medals presentations.

After suffering from focal glomerulosclerosis for the past six years, Elliott received a kidney transplant from his brother, Noel (at right in photo). Elliott, who has served as color commentator for the Spur during his leave, has triumphantly returned to the Spurs starting line-up as of March 14, 2000. Elliott's return to basketball, unprecedented in sports history, is another comeback for this thirty-two year old, who returned from knee surgery to sink the shot that brought the Spurs an NBA title last year.

Says Elliott, "I've overcome a lot, but at the same time I think I can encourage a lot of people. It is a pretty powerful statement to come back from a kidney transplant and play NBA basketball." Attendance at the 2000 U.S. Transplant Games is expected to surpass the record-breaking participation in the 1998 Games of 5,000 people, including transplant athletes, their families, friends, and families of organ donors. Athlete participants range in age from three to seventy-five.

Elliott will join another NBA legend at the Games, Oscar Robertson, who donated a kidney to his daughter, Tia, a Transplant Games athlete. Says Robertson about the Games, "Everyone who competes is already a winner in the game of life."

Jeanette Martinez, manager for Team Southern California, says, "We're delighted that Sean Elliott has chosen to become a Transplant Games spokesperson. We know he will make a real difference in helping to get the message out about the success of organ transplantation and inspire transplant recipients, donors and those people awaiting organs and their families."

The National Kidney Foundation of Southern California is dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well being of individuals and families affected by these diseases and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, proud sponsor of the 2000 Games, has supported the event since 1990. A committed partner to the transplant community, Novartis is dedicated to enhancing therapeutic options, quality of life and the long term success of therapy for transplant recipients.