Writing to your donor’s family
If you want, you can send a message to your donor’s family by writing an anonymous letter. The transplant team will forward it on to them without sharing personal information.
“Personal information is never shared with the transplant recipient or with the donor’s family.”
- Elaine Burke, Transplant coordinator
Writing a letter is entirely optional. Not everyone feels like they want to and that's okay. However, it can be a comfort to the family to hear that their loved one’s donation helped save your life. This might be challenging and emotional for you. The post transplant nurses are here to help with guidance.
If you want to send a letter, let the transplant team know at your next appointment, and they will explain the process to you.
What should I write?
Whatever you write in your letter is personal and entirely up to you. Some lung transplant recipients have sent a simple thank you card or others have written long letters. If you need some guidance on how to get started, follow advice on Writing to your donor's family to say thank you.
There are a couple of things you shouldn't include in your letter:
- your surname, date of birth and the town you live in
- photographs
- any contact details such as your address or phone number
Respecting your donor’s privacy
Organ donors and their families have made a generous decision. Please respect their confidentiality and privacy. We ask that you and your family:
- Never be precise about the date of your transplant.
- Do not post news about your transplant surgery on social media.
- Do not ask about your donor or try to find out who they were or how they died.