Beijing -- the place Olympic athletes have been dreaming of.

The Olympics begin just one month from tomorrow, but right here in Lee County another Olympic athlete is in training.

WINK News first introduced you to 12-year-old Gabe Kagan last year on his eleventh anniversary surviving a liver transplant. Now, he's training for Olympic gold at the Transplant Olympics later this month, and we wanted to find out how he's doing.

"They say 'first place gold, from team Florida -- Gabe Kagan!'

He's gotten the gold once and hopes to do it again at this month's transplant Olympics.

"I want to train to get to the Olympics to show people that I have survived a liver transplant, and all these other people there have too," Gabe says.

Gabe is only 12 but has already survived a lifetime's worth of medical procedures, including a liver transplant.

"I told some friends I got bit by a shark!' he says.

He's also had countless surgeries and must get blood tests every six weeks.

"It puts it into perspective -- we don't worry about a lot of other things like whether he has an extra cookie or stays up a half hour late," Neil Kagan, Gabe's dad, says. "Real worrying is watching that fax and looking at those numbers off the machine and looking to make sure that he's still in all the normal ranges (of blood work)."

If so, it's a six-week reprieve from worry. Because the truth is, Gabe's body could still reject the transplanted organ -- even after all these years.

Still, it doesn't slow him down or trip him up, because Gabe has goals to fulfill.

"I just want to shorten the list for organ donation and tell other families about it," Gabe says. "Like a shirt I have says -- 'don't take your organs to heaven because heaven knows we need them here'."

When he's not training in the gym, he's at home with his dad, who doubles as caregiver and coach.

"We train so he can throw that ball just a little higher or jump a little farther," Neil says.

Gabe will compete in six events: long jump, 50M dash, softball throw, 5K, bowling and cycling.

He trains daily for the Transplant Games, which are about more than just medals.

"It's a great experience," Neil says. "It was the first time he saw other kids who had the same scars as he did, who go through the same blood draw, who take the same meds as he does."

Gabe will also honor his hero -- his mom, his life-saving donor. Karen Kagan says the Transplant Games are a celebration of life for her, her son and other donors.

"Every single donor says the same thing -- that it just gives them something to live for to know that other people are living on," Karen says. "They know that the person who passed would be really proud about they're able to do."

One person can save up to 60 lives.

The Kagans say the most important thing you can do is tell your family if you want to be an organ donor. It's never too soon to make that decision.

If you want to learn more about Gabe or help him and others make Olympic dreams come true, you can visit Gabe's website at www.firstgiving.com/gabekagan. He's about $1,000 short of his fund raising goal now.

If you have an idea for Maggie Mondays, send Maggie an email at maggie.crane@winktv.com.