Writing to your donor's family
By letter, card or email - We're here to support you
Key points
- Donor families or transplant recipients can make the first contact
- You can write a letter, card or email, and send photographs
- Correspondence can go to your transplant centre, or the Donor Family Care Service team
- It’s never too early or too late to write
Before you start
Writing to a recipient of your loved one's donation?
Visit the Donor Family Care Service website for guidance
Writing to a living donor?
There is a separate process for this. See how it works
Why write?
Writing to your donor's family is often very much appreciated.
We understand that writing your letter, card or email can be a very emotional and challenging experience and we're here to support you.
Watch our videos to hear from people who have written and received letters themselves, or who are still deciding what to do.
Both sides of the story
In this video, transplant recipient Jess and donor family mum Liz explore the power of words. Jess’s life was saved by a family like Liz’s agreeing to organ donation.
Why I waited to write my letter
Lindsey wrote to her donor family 17 years after her heart transplant.
Why I'm still deciding
For Lorraine, whether or not to write to her donor family is a very difficult, emotional decision.
- Write your letter, card or email. Avoid sharing any information that would make you personally identifiable
- Your correspondence will be read by your transplant coordinator or a member of the Donor Family Care Service team, to check it doesn’t reveal any identifiable information
- A photocopy is kept on file for future reference
- The Donor Family Care Service match your correspondence with your donor
- A member of the donor’s family are told that correspondence is available to them
- If they wish to receive your correspondence, it is forwarded in a separate envelope to be opened at their discretion
How we support you
Our Donor Family Care Service team supports donor families and recipients wanting to write to each other.
Things to consider
Feel free to include information about your social life, hobbies, children or partner if you would like to.
You don't need to explain how you came to need a transplant to your donor's family unless you want to.
What not to include
Your correspondence with your donor's family should not contain any identifiable information, such as:
- Your surname
- Your address, or the name of your town or city
- Your place or company of work
- The name of the hospital in which the donation or transplant took place
This is to ensure both you and the donor are able to remain anonymous.