DONOR FAMILY SERVICES

Writing to Transplant Recipients
The decision to write to the transplant recipients is a very personal one, and may not be right for everyone. Sometimes, donor families choose to write to transplant recipients and their families to share information about themselves and their loved one. For some donor families, this sharing with the transplant recipients helps them in their grieving process.

If you would like to write to the transplant recipients, here are some general guidelines to help you.

Provide general information

You many want to include your loved one's name (first name only) and information about their job, their family and friends and their hobbies and interests.

You may want to include information about your family.

Since the religion of the transplant recipients is unknown, please consider this if you are including religious comments.

Keep identities anonymous and confidential…avoid including any last names, street addresses, city names or phone numbers.

Closing your letter

Identify your relationship to the donor; for example, donor mom, donor wife, etc…

Sign your first name only

Mailing your card or letter

Place your card or letter in an unsealed envelope.

Include a separate piece of paper with the donor's full name, the date of donation, the hospital where the donation occurred and your full name and relationship to the donor.

Place these items in another envelope and mail them to:

LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma
Donor Family Services Coordinator
7200 N. Broadway
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Allow extra mailing time:
It may take a few weeks after you've mailed your card or letter for the transplant recipient to receive it. Letters will be reviewed to ensure confidentiality. Letters are sent to the transplant facility where the recipient received their transplant. The transplant coordinator at the facility will forward it to the recipient.
If you need further information about writing your donor family, please call:

LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma at (405) 840-5551, toll free at 1-888-580-5680, or email at bereavement@lifeshareok.org.

Will I hear from the transplant recipient?
There is always the chance that you will not get a response. Many transplant recipients are overwhelmed with emotion and have difficulty expressing their gratitude in words. Others may take several months or even years before they feel comfortable writing to their donor family.

It is important to understand that there may be no response to your letter because, even though most transplants are successful, some are not and the patient does not survive. This does not make your decision or your loved one's donation any less important. Without it, these recipients may not have had a second chance at life. The families of these recipients will always be deeply grateful.

Many recipients and donor families ask if they will ever be able to have personal contact. We have found that after a period of anonymous correspondence, the desire to meet is often expressed by one or both parties. If there are no extenuating circumstances and both sides express a desire to meet, the LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma will, with the permission of both parties, facilitate the exchange of personal information.


 
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