In a collaborative effort to promote life-saving acts, September has been declared Driver Services Center Appreciation Month in Tennessee, a time honoring the partnership between Donate Life Tennessee and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Driver Services Centers. According to a statement obtained by the Tennessee Department of Safety, more than 98% of residents who sign up to be organ and tissue donors do so when they're securing or renewing a driver's license, highlighting the critical role that Driver Services Centers play in facilitating organ donation in the state.
Jeff Long, the Commissioner of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, spoke to the importance of this initiative, "We are proud to partner with Donate Life Tennessee to help save lives through organ and tissue donation. I commend our team members for making a difference every day by asking Tennesseans if they want to become a donor when they visit a Driver Services Center." This appreciation month not only highlights the work done by the examiners but also the impact of every individual who says “Yes!” to organ and tissue donation, providing hope to the over 3,000 Tennesseans and other people across America in need of transplants.
Donate Life Tennessee, which is a joint operation between the state's two organ procurement organizations - Tennessee Donor Services and the Mid-South Transplant Foundation, lauds the efforts of the Driver Services Centers in creating a bridge between donors and recipients. Jill Grandas, CEO of Tennessee Donor Services, told the Tennessee Department of Safety about her gratitude, saying, "We are deeply grateful to our Department of Safety and Homeland Security partners who are interacting with the public and advocating for organ, eye, and tissue donation." It is through such partnerships that donor heroes and their families are supported through the emotional journey of donation.
Throughout the appreciation month, Tennesseans are encouraged to participate in several activities including registering as donors at local Driver Services Centers, online at donatelifetn.org, or through the iPhone Health App, and writing thank you letters to the DSC staff, the public is also invited to educate others about the benefits of organ donation and its immense potential in saving and improving lives Kim Van Frank, Executive Director of the Mid-South Transplant Foundation, expressed her appreciation, saying, "We invite the community to join us in celebrating our Department of Safety and Homeland Security Driver Services partner," underscoring the day-to-day efforts of the examiners not just in service to the public, but also in contributing to the life-saving mission of organ donation.
