With compassion and respect, the dedicated staff at Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network honor every donor hero, support their grieving families with unwavering care, and passionately fulfill the Donate Life mission that turns tragedy into hope and saves countless lives.
Writing to Transplant Recipients
Writing to Transplant Recipients
While organ and tissue donations are handled as anonymous gifts (unless a donation is directed), families of donors may want to write to the recipients of their loved one’s organs and their family.
The decision to write to recipients is a very personal one and there is no time limit for sending a letter. It may take some time before you feel ready. If this is something you decide you’d like to do, you can send a card, note, or a letter.
Here is Some Information to Help When You’re Ready:
General Information
Your loved one’s first name only
Your loved one’s interests or hobbies
Family composition and/or important relationships (please, no last names)
Since the religion of the recipient is unknown, please consider this if you are including religious comments.
Closing Your Correspondence
Sign your first name only
Do NOT reveal the city or town that you live in, your address, phone number, or e-mail address
Mailing Your Correspondence
Place your card or letter in an unsealed envelope
On a separate piece of paper include your full name, your loved one’s name, and the date of donation.
Place and send these items in another envelope addressed to:
Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network
Family Services Coordinator
Corporate Woods of Brighton
Building 30, Suite 220
Rochester, NY 14623
Handling Your Correspondence
Our family services coordinator will review your correspondence to ensure its confidentiality, removing any identifying information. The correspondence will then be forwarded to the appropriate transplant center and a transplant coordinator will forward your correspondence to the recipient. It may take a few weeks after you have mailed your correspondence for the transplant recipient to receive it.
You may or may not hear from your loved one’s recipients. While many recipients are very interested in receiving correspondence from the donor family, others may be overwhelmed with emotion and have difficulty expressing their gratitude.
Please Note
Due to privacy and HIPAA regulations, Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network is unable to obtain or share medical updates on a donor’s transplant recipients. We are also not able to inquire if a transplant recipient received donor family correspondence or plans on returning communicating back to the donor family.
Therefore, writing directly to the recipients (as explained above) is the permitted way to receive those kinds of updates.
If you need help or more information on how to write to recipients,
please call 585-272-4930 and ask to speak with a family services coordinator.