How to Contact a Donor Family

The death of a family member is one of the most difficult experiences a family will ever go through. But in the midst of tragedy, many families find comfort and hope through the gift of organ and tissue donation.

Information about organ and tissue donors is confidential. While Donor Alliance maintains the anonymity of our donor families and transplant recipients, Donor Alliance will facilitate the exchange of correspondence if both a donor family and recipient would like to communicate.

If you would like to write your donor family, all correspondence should be forwarded through our office. We are required to screen all correspondence we receive.

If you decide to write to your donor family, please review the following guidelines.

• You may send a letter, card and/or pictures.
• Provide only general information.
• Include first names only.
• Do not use last name, address or phone number when signing a card.

Topics in a recipient’s correspondence to a donor family may include:

• Hobbies, such as sports, favorite things to do, etc.
• Occupation
• Family information, including:
• Marital status.
• Number of children, if any.
• Number of grandchildren, if any.
• The religion of the donor and the donor’s family is unknown. Please consider this if you choose to include religious references.

To mail your correspondence:

• Place the letter or card in a blank, unsealed envelope.
• Include on a separate piece of paper your full name or the full name of the recipient and the date that the transplant occurred.

Enclose the items in another envelope and mail to:

After Care Coordinator
Donor Alliance, Inc.
720 S Colorado Blvd
Suite 800N
Denver, CO 80246

Because your correspondence will be reviewed by Donor Alliance before being sent to the donor family, it may take a few weeks for the donor family to receive it.

In cases where the recovery took place out-of-state, the letter will be forwarded to that state's Organ Procurement Organization. These steps are taken to ensure the confidentiality of both parties.

Because people grieve in different ways, you may or may not receive a response from your donor family. Some donor families find solace from a one-way correspondence, knowing that their loved one’s gift is benefiting another. Some families are too overwhelmed with emotion to respond.

If you have questions, please call us at 303-329-4747 or 888-868-4747.

The latest issue of our quarterly newsletter is available for download as a PDF.

DOWNLOAD OUR CURRENT ISSUE NOW

For more information on becoming a Donor Alliance Volunteer, CLICK HERE.