NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Donor Services announced this week that it registered 107,000 new organ and tissue donors in Tennessee last year, surpassing its goal of adding 100,000 donors.
The new registrations came during the nonprofit's inaugural #BeTheGift Challenge, with individuals and organizations challenging others to become organ donors, according to a news release.
The success of the campaign came during a record-breaking year for Tennessee Donor Services. More than 400 Tennesseans donated organs in 2021, and nearly 2,500 donated tissue. But at least 3,000 Tennesseans are still waiting for transplants, according to the group.
The 2022 #BeTheGift Challenge kicked off on Feb. 12 when the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University basketball teams challenged their fans to support organ and tissue donation during their matchup in Knoxville.
This year, Tennessee Donor Services has upped its goal to registering 115,000 new donors. Tennesseans interested in organ and tissue donation can learn more by visiting the website BeTheGiftToday.com.