Donor Families
After losing a loved one, it can be challenging to navigate each day or moment. Our Donor Family Care team is here to provide you with information and resources to support you throughout your grief journey.
If you have questions about your loved one’s donation or are looking for additional support, contact us at 800-925-3666 or donorfamily@midamericatransplant.org.
We love advocating for organ donation. We love to continue on my daughter’s legacy like that, not only for her, but for us to help with the healing process.”
Joan, Donor Mom
“It was a hard decision at the time, but I felt it was right. I would love to hear from the families my daughter helped.”
Susie, Donor Mom
Being a donor family has been very comforting to us because my husband and I feel like something good came out of a tragic experience; that there’s meaning in Scott’s death because he was able to donate his organs.
June, Donor Mom
Communicate with Recipients
Writing to the recipients of your loved one’s gifts can be a healing step in the donation process. The decision to communicate is a deeply personal one. If you are interested in reaching out to your loved one’s organ or tissue recipient, our team can help facilitate this process. Learn more below on how to submit your letter and get tips on what to include.
Frequently Asked Questions
We can provide limited information to Donor Families regarding the status of their loved one’s recipients as it is shared with us by the hospital. Information on recipients is limited because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Some hospitals have policies that restrict them from sharing any recipient information with OPOs; however, they would pass along written correspondence from donor families to recipients.
Donor Families may request an update once per year. If you prefer to write a letter to your loved one’s recipient, please review our guidelines under “How to submit your correspondence”.
Unlike organ donation, Mid-America Transplant does not receive direct notification when a tissue transplant takes place. A specific recipient is not known prior to tissue donation. Tissue recipient information may be available when requested a minimum of twelve months post donation.
Updates are not always available; however, we will provide you with as much information as possible. The information we can typically provide may include the number of grafts available for transplant, the state or countries where the grafts were distributed for transplant, and they types of procedures the grafts were used for.
Donor families cannot initiate communication with tissue recipients because there is not a direct recipient at the time of the donation. Mid-America Transplant does not receive direct notification when tissue is transplanted and therefore cannot automatically forward this information to donor families. Although you cannot initiate communication with tissue recipients, you can request an update on your loved one’s gift beginning one year after donation.
The gift of tissue can be preserved for up to five years. This means your loved one’s donation may help many individuals over a period of time. You may request an update starting at twelve months post donation and annually for up to five years.
As soon as we receive your request we coordinate with the recipients transplant center. This process can take a few weeks to get an update. Unfortunately, some updates are not able to be fulfilled due to recipient privacy.
Grief Centers
Mid-America Transplant collaborates with grief centers across our region to support families in their healing journey. Through professional counseling services and a variety of resources, we aim to provide comfort and assistance during difficult times.
Donor Family Facebook Group
Sometimes sharing your story with others can provide a sense of healing. The private Donor Family Facebook Group is a place for you and your family to meet and interact with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one. We ask that all donor family members be the legal next of kin. Your request to join will be honored beginning at eight weeks after your loved one’s donation. To join, please complete the Donor Family Facebook Group form below.
