For Donor Families

Request an Update

Within the first few months of your loved one’s donation, you should receive a letter providing information about what organs and tissues were able to be transplanted.

If Legacy of Hope coordinated your loved one’s donation and you would like to request an update on your loved one’s donation, please provide the following information in the fields below.

Organ donor families may receive an update on the status of the recipients and tissue donor families may receive more information about which tissues were recovered for transplant. If you are interested in your loved one’s cornea donation, please contact Advancing Sight Network. If requesting an update on the organ transplant recipients, please wait a minimum of six months from your loved one’s donation date.

Requesting an Update About an Organ Recipient

If your loved one donated organs, such as kidneys, pancreas, liver, lungs or heart, we can request a medical update on the recipient and provide information on the letter writing process, should you wish to initiate contact. Updates are not provided without a request.

Before you request an update, it is important that you feel ready to deal with favorable news as well as the possibility that your loved one’s recipients are not doing well, have been re-transplanted, have died, or that they have not been seen by their transplant center for a recent check-up, which means that we are unable to provide an update. Having a strong support system around you can help prepare you to receive this information.

It may take 30 to 60 days for Legacy of Hope to receive an update from the transplant center after the request is made. Legacy of Hope does not have direct access to recipient condition information.

Requesting an Update About a Tissue Recipient

If your loved one donated tissue, such as heart valves, blood vessels, skin and/or bone, we are very limited in the information we can provide because of the number of people that can be helped and the length of time tissue can be stored prior to transplant. Also, tissue screening is a complex process and results from the screening may result in tissue not being transplantable.

Common Uses of Donated Tissue

Bone, tendons and ligaments may restore quality of life to those that may have suffered from traumatic injuries, joint injuries, cancerous tumors, back injuries, degenerative disease and dental issues.
Heart valves may help up to two people who may have suffered from heart disease or benefit children born with birth defects.
Blood vessels may be used to replace blocked arteries in heart bypass surgery, restore circulation and prevent amputations, or help dialysis patients receive life-saving treatments.
Pericardium (the thin covering around the heart) can repair an injured shoulder, help with heart surgeries or be used during breast reconstruction.
Skin can be used during reconstruction after a mastectomy, hernia repair, bladder surgery, dental surgery or aid burn victims.

Electronic Request

This information can only be requested by and released to the legal next of kin or authorizing or acknowledging party of the donor. If a request is made by anyone else, Legacy of Hope will contact the legal next of kin or authorizing or acknowledging party to verify if their permission is given to provide an update.

Alabama's Organ & Tissue Alliance