14 transplant recipients, living donors and donor family members competed in this year’s event
LAS VEGAS/RENO, NEV. (June 30, 2026) – Nevada Donor Network (NDN) is proud to welcome home the 14 athletes from Team Nevada after a successful showing at the 2026 Transplant Games of America. Held in Denver over the past week, the team brought home a total of 39 medals (25 gold, nine silver, five bronze). Team Nevada athletes, comprised of transplant recipients, living donors, and donor family members, competed in a variety of events, including swimming, track and field, and cycling.
“Congratulations to Team Nevada, we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments at this year’s Transplant Games,” said Joe Ferreira, president and chief executive officer of Nevada Donor Network. “Competing in The Transplant Games is an opportunity to spread awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation, how it can impact individuals who received a lifesaving gift, celebrate the success of transplantation and increase registration in Nevada, where more than 700 Nevadans are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant.”
Team Nevada results below:
| SWIMMING
Division 1 Recipient Women’s 50-59 Maggie Caracciolo – Heart Recipient, Las Vegas · Silver – 50 yd backstroke · Bronze – 50 yd freestyle
Division 2 Living Donor Men’s 60-69 John Huck – Living Kidney Donor, Las Vegas · Gold – 500 yd freestyle · Gold – 200 yd freestyle · Gold – 100 yd freestyle · Gold – 50 yd freestyle · Gold – 50yd breaststroke · Gold – 50yd backstroke · Gold – 50yd butterfly
5K RUN Division 2 Living Donor Men’s 60-69 John Huck – Living Kidney Donor, Las Vegas · Gold
Division 2 Living Donor Women’s 70-79 JoAnne Gipson – Living Donor, Reno, Nev. · Gold
Division 1 Recipients Women’s 60-69 Tracy Copeland – Liver Recipient, Reno, Nev. · Gold Dinorah Arambula – Kidney Recipient, Las Vegas · Bronze
Division 2 Living Donor Women’s 70-79 Joanne Gipson – Living Donor, Reno, Nev. · Gold – 400m · Gold – Long jump · Silver – 100m · Silver – Discus · Silver – Shot put · Silver – Softball · Bronze – 1500m race walk
TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER Division 1 Recipient Women’s 60-69 Dinorah Arambula – Kidney Recipient, Las Vegas · Gold
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TRACK & FIELD
Division 1 Recipient Women’s 60-69 Dinorah Arambula – Kidney Recipient, Las Vegas · Gold – 100m · Gold – 200m · Gold – 400m · Gold – 1500m race walk · Gold – Soft ball · Gold – High jump · Gold – Long jump · Gold – 1500m · Silver – 800m · Bronze – Shot put
Division 1 Recipient Women’s 60-69 Tracy Copeland – Liver Recipient, Reno, Nev. · Gold – 1500m · Gold – 800m
CYCLING Division 2 Living Donor Women’s 60-69 Sonya Retzlaff-Huggins – Living Donor, Truckee, Calif. · Silver – 5K cycling
GOLF Division 3 Donor Family Men’s 40-49 Gino Colucci – Donor Family, Chandler, Ariz. · Silver
DARTS Division 1 Recipient Women’s 60-69 Dinorah Arambula – Kidney Recipient, Las Vegas · Gold – Cricut · Gold – 301
Division 2 Living Donor Women’s 70-79 Joanne Gipson – Living Donor, Reno, Nev. · Silver – Cricut · Bronze – 301
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The 2026 Transplant Games of America also marked an important milestone for Nevada Donor Network with the debut of The Donor Network, the nation’s first multi-state operator of organ procurement organizations. Established by Nevada Donor Network’s leadership team, The Donor Network includes both Nevada Donor Network and South Florida Donor Network and was formed following CMS approval for Nevada Donor Network to assume responsibility for organ procurement services in the South Florida Donation Service Area earlier this year.
Every two years, the Transplant Games of America gathers thousands of transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, individuals on the waiting list, caregivers, transplant professionals, supporters and spectators for the world’s largest celebration of life. At the Transplant Games, recipients are given the chance to show the world that having a transplant is a second chance at a full, productive, and inspiring life as well as display to their donor families what their gift means to them.
