Although organ donation is the ultimate “gift of life,” the experience of losing a loved one is understandably difficult for donor families and friends. The Indiana Donor Network aftercare support program is committed to honoring the memories of organ and tissue donors, and offers reassurance and support to donor families in their journeys.
Your loved one has given a precious gift of life, and Indiana Donor Network is dedicated to assisting you in the difficult months ahead. We cannot imagine your personal pain but we are here to help you in any way we can.
Grieving is both natural and healthy. Communicating with your family, friends and others who have experienced loss is a sound way to deal with the sometimes overwhelming grief you may experience as a donor family member. Indiana Donor Network has compiled a recommended reading list to help donor families through their grief.
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The Indiana Donor Network aftercare support team created and moderates a private Facebook group for the purpose of providing a way for friends and families of donors to connect with and support one another along their grief journey.
Would it be helpful or healing to talk to another donor family member? Would you like to connect with someone who has gone through the similar experience of losing a loved one? The Peer Support Companion Program connects newly grieving donor family members with donor family members who are advocates and trained to provide support and comfort as a peer support companion.
Donor Hero Camp provides children with a unique opportunity to honor and remember their donor hero while learning about the impact of donation. The outdoor retreat experience allows children of all ages to engage in adventure, emotional development and individual growth opportunities.
Many families develop an ongoing relationship with Indiana Donor Network, which sometimes extends over several years. Donor families feel their loved one is not forgotten and that their legacy lives on, not only through the recipients they are able to help, but also through the remembrance events held by Indiana Donor Network.
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The decision to write to your loved one’s recipients or your donor’s family is a personal choice. Some transplant recipients and families of donors choose to write to each other, and others do not. Indiana Donor Network is bound by medical ethics and privacy regulations to keep the identities of donors and recipients confidential unless permission is given by both parties, and we take this privacy seriously.
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Some families of donor heroes wonder how their loved one’s organ recipients are doing months and years after the transplant, or wish they knew how many people were helped with their loved one’s tissue, such as bone and skin. If this is you, request an update at the link below.
Request an Update
Our advocates contribute in many ways to help educate Hoosiers about the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Advocacy promotes the gift of life and builds friendships.
Indiana Donor Network offers the above remembrance keepsakes to donor families as a way to honor their loved one’s precious gift of life and to provide comfort and healing. Additional keepsakes can be purchased here.
Volunteers with Indiana Donor Network’s Threads of Compassion program knit comfort shawls, which are provided to families of donor heroes at the time of their loved one’s donation. These shawls offer comfort at a time when there are no words to say.
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Indiana Life Celebration Quilts commemorate the lives of those who have given the gift of life through organ and tissue donation. Quilt squares are designed by families of donor heroes in honor of their loved ones. Once assembled, the quilts are displayed at events throughout Indiana to recognize donors and increase awareness of organ and tissue donation.
The Children’s Support Journey provides ongoing resources for children and adults. Created to support children of all ages, the Children’s Support Journey allows them to have the opportunity to remember their loved ones and learn as they grieve and grow. Additionally, the adults in the lives of these children receive resources and tools to help in their care and support.
There are several ways to contact the Aftercare Support Team.
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