Writing to Recipients of Your Loved One’s Gifts

Writing to the recipients of your loved one’s organs is a personal decision. Some donor families write to let the recipients know about the person who saved their life or restored their health. Others find doing so brings healing and comfort.

You may either initiate the communication with your loved one’s recipients or wait until they reach out to you first.

There is no time limit to initiate correspondence, so you may write at any time. You may choose to write a letter, write a brief note on a card, or even send an email; they are all as meaningful. If you are planning to send an email, please contact us at FamilyCare@OurLegacyFl.org.

Regardless of the timing or form of communicating, OurLegacy ensures that all correspondence is completely anonymous, and the identities of both parties are kept confidential.

Please be open to unexpected outcomes when communicating with your loved one’s recipients.

Writing your letter:

Consider the following guidelines and suggestions:

Share general information:

  • Your loved one’s name (include first name only)

  • Your loved one’s hobbies or interests

  • Your marital status, children or grandchildren (use only first names, if any)

  • Photos of your family and/or loved one

  • You may want to write about how you or your loved one made the decision to donate life and how this has impacted you, your family, and community

  • You may want to consider that the recipients may have different spiritual beliefs.

Protect your identity:

  • Sign your first name only

  • Do not reveal your address, city, telephone number or email address

  • Be sure photos do not show schools, landmarks or other identifiable places

  • Do not reveal the name or location of the hospital in which your loved one died

  • NOTE: To comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, OurLegacy will redact any identifying information from your correspondence.

Prepare your letter for mailing:

  • Please send one original only. OurLegacy will ensure copies are received by all transplant centers involved, unless you choose to write to a particular recipient only.

  • Place your card or letter in an unsealed, unstamped envelope.

  • Include in the envelope on a separate piece of paper your full name and your loved one’s full name and date of death

Mail your correspondence to:

Attn: Donor Family Correspondence
OurLegacy
601 S Lake Destiny Rd, Ste 400
Maitland, FL 32751

Allow some time.

OurLegacy’s Family Care team will review your card or letter to ensure confidentiality and forward it to the appropriate transplant center(s). The transplant center, in turn, will forward it to the recipient(s). Since your card or letter must be mailed to OurLegacy and then forwarded, it can take several weeks for your letter to reach the recipient.

Will I hear back from the transplant recipients?
Recipients usually welcome correspondence from their donor families. However, please keep in mind that there is no guarantee that you will receive a response.

Will I ever be able to meet the transplant recipients?
Donor families and their loved one’s recipient(s) may establish direct contact. However, we encourage donor families to take some time to explore their feelings regarding this choice. OurLegacy will only coordinate direct, unedited communication between the donor family and recipient, following an initial letter when both parties have expressed a written desire to have non-anonymous communication. Both must sign waiver releasing their right to confidentiality, which was promised at the time of donation and transplantation. After the waivers have been received, the exchange of personal information may be made and OurLegacy will no longer be involved in communication between you and the recipient.

Contact Us

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact us:

FamilyCare@OurLegacyFL.org
407-543-4115