Being involved in the transplant loop is truly a life-changing experience.
It is not uncommon for our cornea recipients to be interested in reaching out to their donor's families to tell their personal story of how receiving the gift of sight changed their lives. It can mean the world to donor families hearing about how their loved one's selfless gift made such a positive impact on someone else's life.
Deciding to write to your donor’s family is very personal. Transplant recipients often choose to do so to express their gratitude and illustrate to the family how their loved one’s donation has improved their quality of life. Writing to your donor’s family can be a powerful experience for you and can also be comforting to the donor’s family.
“Receiving a letter from my sister’s recipient gave us great comfort. Knowing that she was able to help others after her passing is what she would have wanted. Receiving the letter reminded us that my family made the right decision to donate.” - James, member of a donor family
When possible, we try to facilitate these connections through our Thank You Program. Cornea recipients can choose to anonymously write a letter to their donor's family. Upon receiving the letter, that family can then choose if they would like to respond. For some, it is too painful to reach out to their loved one's recipient, but other times it is helpful for their healing process.
"I feel privileged to be able to carry on someone else’s life through this precious cornea that has been given to me." - Bets Cole, cornea recipient and landscape painter
If you have received a transplant and are interested in reaching out to your donor's family, you can read our brochure or contact DiAnn McCormack at dmccormack@keralink.org or 321.445.6764 to learn about the process.
