Pickleball Tournament To Fund Living kidney Donor Expenses And Promote Organ Donation
USA: A charity pickleball tournament at the Pickleball Playground in Carnes this weekend has become a rallying point for organ transplant awareness and practical support for living donors. Organizers say proceeds will help cover expenses incurred by living kidney donors during the donation process, while also celebrating the role transplantation plays in survivors’ lives. Registration was extended through tomorrow at pickleballbrackets.com; Saturday features men’s and women’s doubles and Sunday closes with mixed doubles play.
The event grew out of connections between facility staff, members and the transplant community. The playground’s owner, Chris, and member Billy helped build the fundraiser around a foundation honoring Meredith Haga, a former kidney recipient who worked with Tennessee Donor Services and died in her twenties. Tournament leaders, some of whom are transplant recipients or have family members who received kidneys, emphasize the dual mission of raising money for donor costs and promoting organ donation education through sport.
Transplantation of kidneys and support for living donors remain central motifs of the weekend: players who are recipients regularly use the courts, and organizers view the tournament as a visible way to normalize donation and mobilize local resources. The Pickleball Playground, entering its third year this September, is positioning recurring events to connect donors, recipients and the broader public and to channel small grants to living donors to ease travel, lodging and recovery-related expenses.
Community members and competitive players alike are being invited to participate, spectate and contribute as the tournament seeks to blend athletic competition with a lifesaving cause. Registration and event details are available through the tournament’s online sign-up to ensure local support reaches donors and advances organ donation advocacy.
Video originally published on 2026-01-27 16:33:28
