Last month was be 11 years since my husband’s miracle double lung transplant and it also marks 11 years since a family out there in the country gave my husband a second chance at life while mourning the loss of their own loved one.

How can one ever thank the donor and their family for the selfless act they have shown us? What do you say to a family that is mourning their loss when you are celebrating your life or the new life of someone you love?

Receiving an organ transplant is one of those experiences you can’t quite put into words. For so long you have been sick (or watching a loved one get sicker) and fighting for a second chance at life and then one day you get the call and your life is changed forever. How do you put your feelings, thoughts and love into a letter?

Some have been quite successful at writing their letter and yet for others it is a daunting and stressful task. For that reason, I have compiled a list of organ donor thank you letters that may help alleviate some stress and give better insight into how others have shown their love, gratitude and support to their organ donors and families.

3 Organ Donor Thank You Letter examples

• Letter to My Organ Donor’s Family
• Letters from our Donor Families and Transplant Recipients
• Write and Send Your Own Letter

For more information on sending a letter to your organ donor or his/her family, please contact your Transplant Clinic. Upon receiving an organ transplant, your transplant coordinator should hand you an organ transplant packet. In this packet you will find not only medical information but also information on how to write a thank you letter and where to send it. It is a simple process to follow – the hard part is often writing the letter.

Image courtesy of Huffington Post.