Midwest Transplant Network provides follow-up information to all families who consent to donation after the death of their loved-one. This may include the clinical condition of any organ recipients. Midwest Transplant Network has established guidlines for facilitating communication between donor families and recipients.
TALK ABOUT YOURSELF
TALK ABOUT YOUR TRANSPLANT EXPERIENCE
CLOSING YOUR CARD OR LETTER
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
WILL I HEAR FROM THE DONOR FAMILY?
TO WHOM DO I SEND MY LETTER?
HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?
WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO MEET OR COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH MY DONOR FAMILY?
The decision to write to the donor family is a very personal one. Sometimes, transplant recipients choose to write to donor families to express their gratitude. In response, many donor families have said a card or a personal note from the recipient offers some comfort. It is your choice whether or not you decide to write the donor family.
Midwest Transplant Network, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization selected by the federal government to manage all organ donations in the entire state of Kansas and Western and Central Missouri.
Midwest Transplant Network facilitates written correspondence between recipients and donor families. All correspondence is completely anonymous and identities are kept confidential.
If you would like to write to your donor's family, you may send a greeting card or a letter. Here is some information you may want to include:
TALK ABOUT YOURSELF:
- Include your first name only.
- The region in which you live (Midwest, South, etc.).
- Your job or occupation.
- Your family situation such as marital status, children or grandchildren. (Do not include last names.)
- Your hobbies or interests.
- Since the religion of the donor's family is unknown, please consider this if you include religious comments
TALK ABOUT YOUR TRANSPLANT EXPERIENCE:
- Use simple language.
- Recognize the donor's family and thank them for their gift
- Describe how long you waited for a transplant. What was the wait like for you and your family?
- Explain how the transplant has improved your health and changed your life. Can you participate in activities now that you couldn't before your transplant?
- Explain what has happened in your life since your transplant. Did you return to school or accept a new job?
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 transplant hospital or your physician.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
WILL I HEAR FROM MY DONOR FAMILY?
You may or may not hear from them. Some donor families have said that writing about their loved one and their decision to donate helps them in their grieving process. Other donor families, even though they are comfortable with their decision to donate, prefer privacy and choose not to write to the recipients.
TO WHOM DO I SEND MY LETTER?
Send it to your transplant coordinator at the transplant center. The transplant center will forward it to Midwest Transplant Network. A Donor Family Services Coordinator will review it to ensure confidentiality and will then mail your card or letter to your donor's family.
- Place your card or letter in an unsealed envelope.
- Include a separate piece of paper with: * your full name *the date of your transplant
- Place these items in another envelope and mail them to your transplant center.
HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?
Allow extra mailing time. Since your card or letter must be mailed to the transplant center first, and then forwarded to the Midwest Transplant Network, please allow extra time for it to reach the donor family. Although most families are very glad to receive a letter from the recipient, remember they are in a grieving process. Therefore, the family is always given the option of not reading these letters. Also, families sometimes move and cannot be contacted. If for any reason your letter is unable to be forwarded your transplant coordinator will be notified.
WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO MEET OR COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH MY DONOR FAMILY?
Midwest Transplant Network will work with your transplant center to facilitate a request for direct, unedited communication between a transplant recipient and his/her donor family when the following conditions have been met:
- It is at least one year after the donation.
- Each party has written to the other at least one time anonymously.
- Both parties have expressed a desire to have non-anonymous communication.
Please consult your transplant coordinator for further details on how your transplant center facilitates such requests.
Remember, the donor's family may still be coping with the loss of their loved one and individuals manage grief in different ways. While you may be celebrating the anniversary of receiving your transplant, it is also the anniversary of someone else's loss.
Please, communicate in a sensitive manner .
If you need further information about writing to donor families, call Midwest
Transplant Network at (913) 262-1668.
Adapted by Midwest Transplant Network, Inc.
Westwood, KS
With permission from LifeSource of
Minneapolis, Minnesota
All rights reserved
|
|
|
|
