When Donor Families and Organ Recipients Meet

Medical decisions about organ donation and transplantation are considered by a growing number of individuals. The complex issue of whether and to what extent organ recipients and donor families should interact or communicate has gained increasing public awareness, thereby creating an area of major ethical and legal concern for the transplant community. Communication issues have traditionally been decided by transplant coordinators and guided by personal beliefs, agency guidelines, and organizational policies. Organizations are often inconsistent in their practices, and this in turn causes frustration and confusion for both donor families and transplant recipients. This study explored how the experience of meeting the recipient(s) of a loved one's organ affected the grieving process of donor families and altered their lives. The information from this study might be useful to transplant professionals to develop guidelines and policies that lessen the confusion and frustration felt by those involved with the transplant process.