New Donate Life TN license plates raise organ, tissue donation awareness

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee drivers can now pre-purchase new ‘Donate Life Tennessee’ license plates aimed at spreading awareness about organ and tissue donation in the Volunteer State and raising money for the cause.

The General Assembly passed a bill this legislative session approving the license plates. The cause is personal for Donate Life Tennessee ambassador, Lisa Boullt.

“I’m already getting emotional thinking about what it’s going to be like putting it on my car,” Boullt said. “It’s giving me chills right now.”

Boullt’s younger sister died 32 years ago, but in turn, she saved six people by donating her organs and 50 people by donating her tissue.

“Just think of that. That’s just one person,” Boullt said. “I’ve learned a lot through the process in the last three years about how she really changed people’s lives. Especially when I meet a recipient, that’s a game changer for me. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is what it feels like to meet someone whose life has gone on because of a donor,’ so that’s why my passion has been, ‘We’ve got to bring more awareness.’”

According to Donate Life TN, a single person can save up to eight lives with their organs and 75 to 100 with their tissue.

There are currently 3,000 Tennesseans on the waitlist to receive an organ. However, just 44% of eligible Tennesseans are organ donors, which is below the national average of 54%.

The organization hopes the new license plates start a conversation about the cause.

“It’s this roving billboard that people can see and start thinking about organ and tissue donation,” Emily McKinley, Tennessee Donor Services Director of external affairs, said. “Really, we want that to be on everyone’s mind so that if they’re ever in the position to be an organ donor, that’s been talked about, they’ve thought about it, they’ve registered online at donatelifetn.org, or they’ve registered when they’ve gotten their driver’s license.”

Boullt and McKinley said organ donation has a lifelong impact on recipients.

“They thank the donor every day,” Boullt said. “They get up every day thinking about that donor and how they made the decision, so when you meet that, it’s like, wow. It’s big. It’s really big.”

The Donate Life TN license plates are available for pre-purchase now. The organization needs to pre-sell 1,000 plates before it can go into production.

They cost $37 each, and half of that amount goes to organ and tissue donation statewide initiatives.

To reserve and purchase a Donate Life TN plate, click here.