A Montpellier doctor involved in the heart race, 800 kilometers on foot to raise awareness about organ donation

Pierre Trémolières (à droite) et son équipe ont couru avec un patient greffé.

Néphrologue à Montpellier, le docteur Pierre Trémolières a participé à la course du coeur, du 20 au 24 mars. Une épreuve sportive pour permettre de communiquer autour de la transplantation et du don d'organe.

Pierre Trémolières is a busy man. When he is not caring for his patients within the Aider association, this nephrologist is an accomplished sportsman. And this Wednesday, March 20, he started a race like no other. Indeed, the Montpellier doctor embarked on the race of the heart in favor of organ donation, 800 kilometers in 4 days and 4 nights between Paris and Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the Alps as part of the team of the Société francophone de transplantation.

Like the 200 participants in this race, which includes a team of former transplant recipients, its objective is to help raise awareness of organ donation, to inform the public and explain that transplantation saves lives and that everyone world may be affected one day.

Nikos Aliagas, the Lebrun brothers

This Thursday morning, after racing part of the night, the doctor took the wheel to let one of his teammates continue. "It’is essential, it allows us to talk about organ donation, about transplants, in the villages we pass through and in different places. We also communicate via our sponsors who are athletes or not like Nikos Aliagas, the Lebrun brothers are also official sponsors of this team of the Société Francophone de Transplantation", specifies this regular at the trails.

Part of the team then put on their sneakers again to accompany a transplant patient for five kilometers. "This also helps show that when you have a transplant you can return to a normal or almost normal life. The person we ran with has done 12 marathons since she was transplanted", continues Pierre Trémolières. &quot ;It also gives visibility for the future of patients waiting for a transplant. You don't have to limit yourself, lots of things are possible even after that.

Organ donation, a taboo subject

The objective of this event is also to communicate about organ donation."It’s a more than taboo subject, we rarely talk about it with those close to us. There is often refusal from the family, due to lack of understanding and information on what the transplant is. It’s important to talk about it and especially as a family, that loved ones are aware of the decision on organ donation", explains the specialist doctor of kidney transplantation.

An event which also shows the power of sport in terms of communication. "It's super easy to talk when you're playing sports, it’s a way to get your foot in the door more easily. I was on the train going up to the start, and while discussing sport with my neighbor, we were able to discuss organ donation. It’is a universal way to communicate with people", says the nephrologist.

At the end of their journey of four days of racing and swallowing quite a few kilometers of asphalt and elevation gain punctuated by many meetings and discussions, Pierre Trémolières barely took the time to put down his sneakers to put his doctor's coat back on. With the feeling of duty accomplished…