Donate Life America Launches Two-Year Pilot to Boost Living Kidney Donation

At Tennessee Donor Services, we’re privileged to witness the generosity of people in Tennessee every day, neighbors stepping up, families embracing hope, and our local hospitals and transplant teams working together to give more people second chances. Today, we’re excited to share some news that opens up another path to generosity: a new pilot program by Donate Life America that makes living kidney donation more accessible than ever.

Donate Life America, in partnership with the National Kidney Registry, just launched a two-year national pilot called the Donate Life Living Donor Pathway. The idea is to simplify the journey for anyone interested in becoming a living kidney donor by offering trusted information, connections to transplant programs, and mentor support from people who’ve been there.

If you’re aged 18-65 and have already registered as an organ, eye and tissue donor through the national registry, you can now opt into being considered as a potential living kidney donor, a powerful way to extend that “yes” into another life-saving opportunity.

Kidney failure affects far too many families, even in our region. Right now in the U.S., more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, and approximately 90 % of them are waiting for a kidney. Living-donor kidney transplants can shorten waiting times and improve outcomes for folks in our community. We see the impact up close: someone who doesn’t have to dialyze for hours every week; another person able to travel, work, play, and be present with their loved ones again. This pilot expands access to that kind of life-changing possibility.

How You Can Get Involved

Becoming a donor is one of the most meaningful ways to make a difference. You can:

• Register your decision to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor here.
• Learn more about living donation, read inspiring Stories of Hope, and explore the Donate Life mission at DonateLife.net.