Writing to Your Donor’s Family Members — A Guide for Transplant Recipients

The decision to write to your donor’s family is a very personal one. It may help you to know that donor family members consistently express appreciation for the letters or cards they receive from recipients and their families. Some recipients choose to write to their donor’s family and some do not.

If you decide to write, here are some suggestions:

• Write about yourself. You may want to include your name (first name only) and information about your job, your family and friends, your hobbies and interests and the name of the state in which you reside.
• Write about your personal transplant experience. You may want to include information about your disease and how a transplant has affected your life.
• You may wish to thank your donor family.
• Sign only your first name.
• Keep identities anonymous and confidential....avoid including any last names, street addresses, city names, phone numbers, or names of hospitals or physicians. On occasion, donor families and transplant recipients may wish to reveal identities to each other. Both must agree to this before any personal information will be released by the eye bank.

After you have completed your letter or card:

• Place the card or letter in an unsealed envelope.
• Include a separate sheet of paper with your full name, with date of your transplant and the name of your surgeon.
• Mail both your letter or card and the separate note to:

Public Relations Department                                                                    Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank 
P.O. Box 6026  
Aurora, CO 80045

All letters are reviewed to ensure confidentiality before the letter is forwarded to the donor family. Some donor families may send a letter or card in response to your letter. Others may choose not to write to you at this time — this is their personal decision.

If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact the Programs Development Department at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank at 720-848-3937 or, toll-free at 1-800-444-7479.