News
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15, 2025
At Tennessee Donor Services, we are proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15). We’re honoring the incredible generosity, resilience, and stories of the Hispanic and Latino communities across our state. Every year, thousands of families say “YES” to organ, eye and tissue donation, giving the gift of life to others in need. In Tennessee, our Hispanic community plays a vital role in this lifesaving mission. However, the need for registered donors remains high. Across the nation, more than 60% of those waiting for a life-saving transplant are from multicultural communities, with thousands of Hispanic men, women, and children hoping for their second chance at life.
HISPANIC DONORS, RECIPIENTS, AND THOSE WAITING
LIFESAVING NUMBERS
lives saved daily through organ donation
Hispanic lives saved in the U.S. last year
Hispanics in the U.S. who said “yes” to donation in 2024
Hispanics on the U.S. waitlist
Did you know?
“Salvar una vida es como salvar al mundo entero.”
To save one life is like saving the whole world.
This month, we are highlighting stories of local heroes: families who have turned loss into hope, and recipients whose lives have been transformed by donation. These powerful stories serve as a reminder of the impact one “yes” can have — not just on a single person, but on entire families and communities. Find more stories of hope here.
Jess & Teresa Chairez – Donor Family
Donar es dar vida.
To donate is to give life.
Officer Joseph “Joe” Chairez became an organ donor after experiencing a brain aneurysm while on duty in 2000, saving four lives by donating his heart, lungs, liver, and pancreas.
Lourdes Matamores – Recipient Family
La donación de órganos salva vidas.
Organ donation saves lives.
Sí a la vida.
Yes to life.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by:
- Registering as an organ donor at donatelifetn.org, through the local Driver Services Center while getting a new or renewed license, or through the Apple Health App.
- Sharing your decision with your loved ones.
- Lastly, follow us on social media for inspiring local stories and events throughout the month.
When we come together, we save more lives.
About Tennessee Donor Services
An Extraordinary Commitment to Science, Health, and Hope
Tennessee Donor Services a non-profit, organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving and improving lives by connecting organ and tissue donations to the patients who need them. TDS serves nearly five and a half million people in Tennessee and Virginia.
