Writing to Donor Families

Network for Hope supports written correspondence between recipients and donor families. Donor families and recipients have found that communicating can be healing and comforting. A thank you letter or a greeting card from a recipient may bring comfort to a donor family.

The decision to send correspondence is a very personal one, and there is no timeline. If you would like to write to your donor’s family, we encourage you to do so. All correspondence is completely anonymous and identities are kept confidential.

What May I Include in My Card or Letter?

You may provide general, non-identifiable information, including:

Your first name and the first names of family members (please do not include last names)
Your occupation, hobbies, or interests
Your age
The state in which you live in (please do not include the city)
Information about your life and your family (ex: marital status, children, grandchildren, pets, etc.)
General information about the reason you were in need of a life-saving transplant
The impact that transplant has had on your life, including activities you can now enjoy, how your health has improved, important life milestones you have witnessed, and your hope for your future

Please note: Since the religion of your donor’s family is unknown, please consider this when making religious comments.

Where Do I Send My Card or Letter?

Mail your letter to the office nearest you:

Network for Hope
Attn: Family Aftercare
10301 Linn
Station Rd .,
Louisville, KY
40223

Network for Hope
Attn: Family Aftercare
615 Elsinore Pl.,
Suite 400,
Cincinnati, OH
45202

You may also email a typed letter to Aftercare@NetworkForHope.org

When mailing your correspondence, please include the following information on a separate piece of paper, to assist us with identifying your donor’s family:

Your full name
Date of your transplant
Name of your transplant hospital
The type of organ you received

What Happens Next?

Network for Hope will review your correspondence to ensure confidentiality and will then begin the process of forwarding it. Since your correspondence must be mailed to Network for Hope first and then forwarded, please keep in mind it may take extra time for your letter to reach your donor’s family. It may take several weeks after you’ve mailed it for your donor’s family to receive it.

It is important to understand that you may or may not receive a response. Many donor families have said that they are overwhelmed with emotion and have difficulty expressing their feelings. Others may take several months or even years before they feel comfortable writing to their loved one’s recipients.