Team Pittsburgh usually has the splashiest entrance of any team participating in the U.S. Transplant Games, thanks to the athleticism, courage and determination of Samantha Scholl, a 16-year-old double-heart transplant recipient from Cranberry.

"At the opening ceremonies when our team comes in, she does a roundoff with multiple handsprings down the floor," said her teammate Becky Ridgway, 46, a heart transplant recipient from Marshall. "We're the only team with a member who can do that. ... It's quite a sight. The crowd goes nuts."

And it's likelier to go even nuttier this year since she'll be handspringing before a hometown audience: Pittsburgh is playing host to the 10th edition of the games, July 11-16, and they are open to the public.

Ms. Scholl, an active advocate for the Center for Organ Recovery & Education, already has recruited her friends from Quigley Catholic High School, where she's finishing her sophomore year, and from gymnastics classes to run with her in the games' 5K on Sunday, July 13, a walk/run that also is open to living donors, donor families and the public.

"My friends don't understand what the Transplant Games really are," she said. "But I'm making them come and do the 5K race with me, and then they'll understand."

A five-time games participant, Ms. Scholl has understood the meaning of the games for a long time, probably from the time she competed in her first one at age 4. That year she won the gold medal for 3- to 5-year-olds in the 25-meter dash. This year she'll compete in swimming, track and field, volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball.

"The games are four days out of two years that individuals of all ages across the United States share," she said. "They share one thing in common -- the gift of life -- and that is really cool to experience.

"I think I understood it a little bit, the opening ceremony, even the donor recognition ceremony. ... My mom explained it to me over and over, why I'm here, what the donor family had to give up for me to be here. I was very thankful, even at 4 years old."

Ms. Scholl was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome when she was in utero. She underwent a heart transplant when she was 3 days old. She did well with it for quite some time and was able to pursue classes in gymnastics and dance until she was diagnosed with coronary artery disease at age 7¹/₂.

She was experiencing chronic organ rejection, according to Dr. Steven Webber, chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and medical director of heart-lung transplantation at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

"I definitely remember being very sick," she said. "It was hard to climb up the steps. I was always tired. I had trouble breathing. It was awful. I had to quit gymnastics and dancing. That was the worst part.

"I was on and off the transplant list because I wasn't sick enough. Then I was; then wasn't, for about a year and a half. ...

"I remember Dr. [Gerard] Boyle, a cardiologist at that time, told me that after my transplant that I'd be able to turn cartwheels down the hallways, and that's what I looked forward to."

Ms. Scholl turned 9 on Dec. 11, 2000; on Dec. 16, she had her second transplant.

"She has done well ever since," Dr. Webber said.

"She's a competitive gymnast, an excellent student, she does a lot of advocacy for transplantation, she does talks for CORE, and she's a good kid. ... She's more dedicated and motivated ... to live a normal life."

In fact, she's dedicated and motivated to live more than a normal life. As part of her goal to be a role model to younger transplant recipients, she wants to make the most out of every waking minute of every waking day.

"I tell younger transplant kids to pretty much enjoy life and take one day at a time and experience it," Ms. Scholl said. "I tell them to definitely take your medicine every day, to take care of yourself and just to enjoy life and to be thankful for what you have."