It was 11 years ago when Jean Bost, 68, had a kidney transplant at Allegheny General Hospital.

Ms. Bost, a registered nurse, had inherited polycystic kidney disease from her mother. About half the patients who contract this disease have kidney failure by age 60.

"At the time of my surgery I had 14 percent kidney function left," she said. "I was really blessed. I could still get around. I got my kidney just before I had to go on dialysis."

Ms. Bost was in the hospital for about a week, and it was eight weeks before she could go back to work. But the transplant took well, and she was able to resume full physical activities.

In 2002, Ms. Bost competed in the National Transplant Games sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, the only national athletic competition in which all the competitors are recipients of lifesaving organ transplants.

The games that year were held at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Ms. Bost brought home the gold medal in ping pong.

"I learned when I was about 9," Ms. Bost said. "We have a table set up in our garage. The whole family gets involved."

Ms. Bost also walks and swims, and does volunteer work at her church, the First Lutheran Church on Grant Street, Downtown, and in the senior community in which she and her husband live in Richland.

Ms. Bost hasn't competed in the Transplant Games, which are held every other year, since 2002. But she's planning to compete again this year, when the games will be held in Pittsburgh July 11-16.

She enjoys the competition, Ms. Bost said, but the best part of the Transplant Games for her is meeting the other competitors and hearing their stories.

"It was fabulous being with all the people, to interact with them," she said.

For more information about the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games, visit www.transplantgames.org.