St. Luke's Health Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center Becomes Official Hospital Sponsor of 2014 Donate Life Transplant Games of America

St. Luke's Health Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center has become an official sponsor of the 2014 Donate Life Transplant Games of America that will be held in Houston, Texas, July 11-15. The multi-sport festival will attract organ, tissue, corneal, and bone marrow transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families from across the country.

“We could not be more excited to be a part of this national event that celebrates the gift of life that has been given to so many transplant recipients,” said Tamara Ford, Business Development Manager, Transplant, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center. “St. Luke's is proud to have some of our very own transplant patients take part in these games, and we&'re honored to support all of the participants.”  

The Transplant Games will utilize BBVA Compass Stadium, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and other facilities throughout the city of Houston. Expecting in excess of 2,000 athletes, sporting events include a 5K run, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, racquetball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and track and field.

Aside from the sporting competition that will take place over four days, the event will include a spectacular opening and closing ceremonies and a series of tributes to many of the heroes of donation.  Athletes and their families, donor families and thousands of supporters will gather at the Athletes Village to help deliver the important message that organ, eye and tissue donation saves lives.

According to Donate Life America, as of July 2012, there were 114,712 individuals in the United States awaiting a life-saving organ, and 1,737 were pediatric patients.  Last year, there were 28,535 organs transplanted from 14,144 donors. 

In Texas, 11,000 men, women and children are waiting for a life-saving transplant, and more than 3,000 are from Greater Houston.  Donate Life Texas, which is the official database of Texans authorized to be organ, eye and tissue donors upon their deaths, reports that number stands at approximately 5 million registrants.