Early bird registration is over! Tips for medical waivers

Early Bird registration is over and we have a total of 31 athletes registered for Team Iowa at this time – a total of 101 people counting everybody that is currently registered.

At Bruce Hoffmaster’s request, we need to review the information for medical waivers:

At the time you registered, you should have received a medical waiver via email. If you didn’t get one, you can download one by going to our blog:
teamiowankf.blogspot.com
and scrolling down slightly – on the left you will see “forms and things to know” – the top item is the 2008 medical waiver. Just click on it and print.

(1) If you need help getting a medical waiver, please email us at dhagarty@kidneyia.org and tell us you need one printed and mailed to you.
(2) The form cannot be filled out before March 11, 2008.
(3) You must complete the form and return it to Bruce Hoffmaster before May 23rd. (On the form it says to return to team manager by June 11, 2008 – however, our team Iowa deadline is to return to Bruce by May 23rd.)

When completing the medical waiver, you MUST follow these rules and make sure these things are done correctly:

(1) Print in blue or black ink.
(2) Athlete completes the first portion of the form –
a. Last name
b. First name
c. Date of birth
d. Organ(s) transplanted
e. Date of last transplant
f. Donor type
g. Athlete’s address, city, state, zip
h. For country – all of us will put USA
i. Answer the question about allergies and bee sting allergies
j. You must furnish a contact name with related contact information – this needs to be somebody NOT attending the Games with you
k. List all prescription and non-prescription meds with dosages – I would suggest you type these on a separate sheet and attach to your waiver
l. List the athletic events you have registered to compete in
(3) The physician completes the next part of the form – (remember physician is a licensed medical doctor familiar with your medical situation – it does NOT have to be your transplant surgeon. It can NOT be a dentist, chiropractor, etc. It MUST be a medical doctor.)
a. Physician must mark (A), (B) or (C)
b. The physician must answer the question about your general health – either “Yes” or “No”
c. The physician must record your blood pressure and answer question about diabetic
d. Physician has the option to describe any other health issues and/or special needs
e. Physician MUST enter either Letter (A), (B), or (C) – the same letter that they marked previously (see #3a above)
f. Physician must enter date of your last physical exam
g. Physician must sign and date, enter pager and fax #
h. Physician must Print name, address, city, state and zip.
(4) Before leaving the physician’s office, please take a moment to sit in the waiting room and use this checklist to be sure that everything has been completed and that it is accurate
(5) Before mailing in your form, you MUST keep a copy of it for your own records. (Things get lost in the mail)
(6) Completed forms must be mailed to

Bruce Hoffmaster, Transplant Social Worker
Mercy Medical Center
1111 – 6th Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50314-2611

It would be a good idea to email Bruce at bhoffmaster@mercydesmoines.org or give Bruce a call at 515-643-5288 and tell him the date you are mailing the form – so he will be watching for it.

(7) Once Bruce receives the forms, he must check each item listed above to be sure that these items have been filled out and are accurate.
(8) As soon after May 23rd as he can, Bruce will bundle all Team Iowa medical waivers and send to NKF National certified mail. He will also keep a Xerox copy for his records.

PLEASE NOTE: Periodically, (Between now and May 23rd) I will send out a team email and update everybody on the status of their waivers.
Prior to May 23rd, you may receive an email from NKF National telling you that they have not received your medical waiver yet.
Do not let that bother you – Bruce will be submitting all waivers in one package after May 23rd and before June 11th.

Once national NKF receives the waivers, they also check every item mentioned above.
Failure to accurately and timely complete and submit your waiver can result in disqualification in the Games.
We don’t want that to happen to any of our athletes.

FINAL HINTS: Please, Please ask for help; double-check your waiver before you send it in; don’t wait until the last minute to send it to Bruce; keep a copy for your own records; and make sure that you use this as a check-list – both for the information you filled in and the information your physician filled in.

Bruce and I are here to help you,

GO TEAM IOWA!

Thanks, Diane