Donate Life Tennessee today announced it has kicked off the holiday season with its third annual #BeTheGift Season of Giving, an initiative that encourages community members to #BeTheGift by registering online as organ and tissue donors and sharing a selfie on social media with a Big Red Bow.
The idea is simple: if more people #BeTheGift, more people live. By taking a minute to register online, Tennessee residents can save and improve thousands of lives. Today, more than 108,000 Americans are waiting for life-saving transplants and, sadly, 22 die each day still waiting.
In Tennessee, over 3,000 are waiting on a life-saving organ transplant. More than 90 percent of Americans think being an organ and tissue donor is a good thing to do, but only about half are actually registered.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for our outreach and educational efforts in 2020.Now, as the holidays approach, the #BeTheGift Season of Giving is a timely way to alert the public to the need for more organ and tissue donors,” said Jill Grandas, executive director of DCI Donor Services. #BeTheGift emphasizes the selfless act of giving the ultimate gift – the gift of life. And what better time to celebrate that gift than during the holiday season? We can all #BeTheGift.”
Since launching in 2018, #BeTheGift has generated a significant uptick in awareness and online registrations. To date, 4,397 individuals in 50 states and the District of Columbia have clicked through to #BeTheGift to register as organ and tissue donors.
The #BeTheGift Big Red Bow is becoming the symbol of a movement to turn every citizen into a gift and a hero. With each new donor, more lives can be saved. Every organ donor can save the lives of up to 8 people; a tissue donor can restore the lives and health of more than 75.
To participate in the #BeTheGift campaign, simply:
- Go to BeTheGiftToday.com
- Register as a donor (if you’re not already).
- Take a selfie with the Big Red Bow filter.
- Share your photo across your social media channels with #BeTheGift.
- Challenge your friends to #BeTheGift, too.
Like this story? Click here to subscribe to more like this delivered weekly to your inbox!