As a donor family member, you may wish to communicate with the recipient(s) of your loved one’s organs and/or tissues. The decision to write to the recipients is a very personal one.

Sometimes, donor family members choose to write recipients to tell them a little about their loved one, their family, occupation, hobbies, etc.  We know that recipients welcome and appreciate this.

As the region’s non-profit organ and tissue donor program, Tennessee Donor Services facilitates the delivery of all letters and correspondence between donor families and transplant recipients.

If you would like to write to the recipients of your loved one’s donations, consider sending a hand written or typed letter or a greeting card. Following are some guidelines for writing to the recipients.

Writing About Your Loved One
* Include your loved one’s first name only
* Discuss your loved one’s family situation such as marital status, children or grandchildren. (Do not include last names)
* Share their job or occupation, hobbies or interests.
* Please avoid giving too much detail and medical information about how your loved one died.
* Use simple language.
* While recipients appreciate learning about your loved one, please do not feel the need to share too much personal detailed information with them.
* Since the religion of the transplant recipients is unknown, please consider this if you are including religious comments.

Closing Your Card or Letter
* Sign your first name only.
* Do not reveal your address, city or phone number.
* Do not reveal the name or location of the hospital where your loved one died.

Allow Extra Mailing Time
After Tennessee Donor Services receives your card or letter, it will be reviewed to assure confidentiality and then forwarded to the recipient's transplant center.  The transplant center then forwards correspondence to the recipient, with his/her permission. This process takes time, so please allow ample time for your card or letter to reach the recipient.

Will You Hear From the Recipients?
You may or may not hear from them. Please remember that all recipients have experienced a debilitating or life-threatening illness. While some recipients may respond immediately, others may find it difficult to respond to your gesture at this time, or possibly ever. However, most recipients appreciate hearing from donor families even if they are not able to respond.

Thank You for Writing
We know that recipients appreciate hearing from donor families. We also can appreciate how difficult it may be for you to write this letter. We thank you for your thoughtfulness.

    » Place it in an unsealed envelope
    » Include in the envelope on a separate piece of paper:
                --Your full name
                --Your loved one’s full name
                --Date of the donation
                --Request that the letter(s) be forwarded to the recipients’
    » Mail this to:
        Tennessee Donor Services
        1600 Hayes Street, Suite 300
        Nashville, TN 37203
        Attn: Family Services Department