Writing to Recipients
Writing a letter to recipient(s) is a great way to honor the life and legacy of your loved one. Our Aftercare Team is here to support you in the process.
Contact Infinite Legacy’s Aftercare Team: Sending a Letter to Your Loved One’s Recipient(s)
Infinite Legacy’s Aftercare Team facilitates all correspondence between donor families and transplant recipients. We can answer questions, discuss your feelings about taking this step and help you write your card or letter. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at
443-833-1147 or aftercare@infinitelegacy.org.
To mail your letter:
1. Place your card/letter in a blank, unsealed envelope.
2. On a separate piece of paper, write your loved one’s full name, the date of donation, the hospital and your contact information.
3. Place the first envelope and the piece of paper in a sealed envelope and mail your letter to:
Infinite Legacy
1730 Twin Springs Road Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21227
OR
Infinite Legacy
3190 Fairview Park Drive Suite 700
Falls Church, VA 22042
To submit your letter online:
Fill out the form here:
Tips for Donor Families on Writing to Recipients
Donor family members often choose to write to recipients to tell them a little about who their loved one was, including their hobbies, occupation, etc. We’ve heard recipients welcome and appreciate these details.
Until you get a feel for your loved one’s transplant recipients and for how you feel about corresponding with them, we recommend you do not disclose any identifying or direct contact information. While Infinite Legacy does not restrict sharing identifying or direct contact information, we want to ensure you have considered all of the potential outcomes of making such a disclosure.
Keeping Information Confidential: Your Right to Privacy
In order to correctly match your letter to your loved one’s recipient, we need your contact information to be completed in its entirety. This information is confidential and is only used by the aftercare coordinators to facilitate your correspondence.
Due to the increasing use of social media sites and other online search capabilities, the range of information making you “identifiable” has greatly increased. If you disclose the same information that you have written on a Facebook page, blog or online obituary, your recipient may be able to locate you through the internet.
What to Expect After Your Letter is Sent
After you write your letter and it is forwarded to the recipient, it’s natural to feel some anxiety about whether you will hear back. While many families do receive a response from their loved one’s recipient(s), there is no guarantee if or when a reply will come.
If your loved one’s recipient(s) decides not to write at this time, please know that this choice is rarely personal. Along with continuing to heal physically from transplant surgery, many recipients are also processing a wide range of emotions. Ongoing medical needs, personal circumstances or other life stressors can all impact their readiness or ability to respond.
Even if you never hear back, your words still matter more than you may realize. Don’t let the absence of a response silence your voice—your message can offer comfort, connection and meaning simply by being written. You are also welcome to write more than once; some families find comfort in sharing updates, memories or milestones over time, regardless of whether a reply is received.
Your letter will first be reviewed by our aftercare team, and then it will be forwarded to your loved one’s recipient(s).
Writing to Tissue Recipients: What You Need to Know
If your loved one was a tissue donor, please contact our Aftercare team at aftercare@infinitelegacy.org to see if correspondence is a possibility for you and your family.