On Lella Young’s social media profile, she describes herself as a dancer, a swimmer, and a farmer of chickens and goats, expressing her love for spending time with friends and family. While she may seem like a typical teenager from Delta, Colorado, she holds a unique position as the featured individual on Donate Life Colorado license plates, prominently displayed in Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices across the state. Lella’s journey took a significant turn in 2008 when she underwent a life-saving liver transplant. This week, she celebrates a significant milestone as she turns sixteen and prepares to obtain her driver’s license.
Lella’s name was placed on the transplant recipient list when she was just two months old due to a rare condition known as Biliary Atresia, which damages the liver’s drainage tube. Despite her family members’ inability to serve as donors, they sought assistance from Colorado Donate Life, ultimately leading to Lella being placed on a waitlist. Fortunately, a match was found only two months later when Lella was five months old.
The generous donor, Mindy, a 17-year-old from Iowa who tragically lost her life in a car accident, provided Lella with a new lease on life. The successful transplant took place at Children’s Hospital in Denver, thanks to Mindy’s decision to become an organ donor, a choice that profoundly impacted Lella’s life. The bond between the Young and Mindy’s families remains strong, with regular visits and annual participation in a memorial bike ride in Iowa.
In 2023, Lella obtained her driving permit and celebrated her sixteenth birthday on January 21. On Tuesday, February 27, she visited the DMV to secure her driver’s license, surrounded by officers and officials who commemorated this significant moment. Before a poster promoting organ donation awareness, Lella posed for a photo with the officers.
Eager to embrace this new chapter, Lella has mastered driving a manual transmission and anticipates driving her very own Mini-Cooper. While she excels in swimming and singing, her true passion lies in dancing. Having trained at Weehawken Dance in Montrose, she aspires to join Ballet Magnifica, a Christian-based ballet company.
Colorado Donate Life facilitates numerous organ transplants annually, catering to a growing list of potential donors in the state. With approximately 2,500 individuals awaiting transplants in Colorado alone and over 100,000 nationwide, the importance of organ donation cannot be overstated. By registering as a donor, individuals can potentially save up to eight lives and provide solace to grieving families. Lella proudly embraced this cause by opting to be an organ donor on her new driver’s license.