Transplant Games Opening Ceremonies held at BBVA Compass Stadium

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Transplant games kick off with opening ceremonies at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Thousands of athletes arrived in Houston this weekend to show just how full life can be after donating or receiving an organ. The Donate Life Transplant Games of America are being held at various venues throughout Houston this week. Participants will take part in everything from swimming to volleyball and even Texan hold em poker.

The games are a multi-sport festival event to help promote the need for organ and tissue donation. The purpose is to show the world that transplantation is a treatment that does indeed work.

Tonight athletes marched in with props, T-shirts and signs honoring living donors, organ and tissue recipients and the families of those who left a gift of life behind. Teams are representing every state in our country as well as some international athletes who made the trip. It's the 22nd year for the games which rotates host cities.

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority was instrumental in making the bid to host the games this year.

More than 120,000 people across the country are waiting on a transplant list with 12,000 of them living right here in Texas. In the past couple of years Texas DPS engaged in an awareness campaign that's paid off. In 2013 the number of Texans listed as potential donors on their driver's licenses was two million. Today the number of potential donors on the registry is now 5.5 million.

Eyewitness News reporter Christine Dobbyn served as emcee for the opening ceremonies.

For more information on organ donation and how you can register go to WWW.DONATELIFETEXAS.ORG AND WWW.TRANSPLANTGAMESOFAMERICA.ORG..