Athletes in good heart ahead of games

Team manager and heart transplant recipient Aaron Bell said the New Zealanders would be competing against 1500 competitors from around the world in sports ranging from golf and swimming to athletics and the mini-marathon.

"It is a big celebration. The main reason I go is to meet other people who have been through similar things and because we want to show those who donate what we can do with the second chance."

Bell was the flag bearer at the games two years ago in France, and walked at the front of the four-person Kiwi contingent to cheers of "Nouvelle Zelande, Nouvelle Zelande" from 10,000 people in the stadium.

"It blew my socks off, I was not expecting that," said Bell, who won a table tennis bronze medal.

Nuku Tuhiwai, who will compete in volleyball, badminton and ten-pin bowling, has alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a hereditary disease in which enzymes attack the lung tissues. Four years ago he had a double lung transplant.

"My health is like a rollercoaster, you have your good days and your bad days, but over all I have been well enough," Tuhiwai said.

The trip to Canada will be his first overseas. He turned down the opportunity to go to Australia last year, saying he did not want Australia to be his first foreign port of call.

Bell said that at the last games, the Australians took the competition seriously and took home a bundle of medals.

"Half the people take it very seriously, the other half are there to meet people - and it is amazing the people you meet."

Bell said anyone considering organ donation should talk to their families about it, because under New Zealand law it was the family that made the decision to donate.

"If they communicate with their families then their will will be done. Organ donation is just a beautiful, beautiful thing."