One million Texans have now registered with the state’s organ and tissue registry as potential donors.

Glenda P. Dawson Donate Life—Texas Registry is the state database of individuals who have officially indicated their decisions to donate organs, eyes and tissue, to benefit thousands of people of all ages currently awaiting transplants. Three state agencies—the DPS, the Department of State Health Services and the Department of Motor Vehicles—and three organ and tissue recovery agencies—LifeGift, Southwest Transplant Alliance and Texas Organ Sharing Alliance—participate in the registry.

In Texas, residents can register at their local DPS office when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or identification card, or they can enroll in the Registry online at www.donatelifetexas.org. Once they’ve registered, they will receive a letter and donor card to officially confirm their decision to become a registered donor.

“The Department of Public Safety is glad to participate in this important program, and we are proud that more than 773,000 people have become part of the database through the driver licensing system,” said Rebecca Davio, DPS assistant director for Driver License.

More than 10,000 Texans are currently waiting for an organ or tissue transplant that could save their lives. According to Donate Life America, the educational counterpart for the United Network of Organ Sharing, only 5 percent of Texas residents over the age of 18 are registered as organ and tissue donors.

If you used to have a “donor” sticker on your driver license, you probably are not actually part of this new registry program. You can verify your registration by visiting www.donatelifetexas.org.