Here in Scotland we are not given any information at all about our donor other than his/her sex and age. We know nothing about the circumstances of death or family details.

We are encouraged to write a letter of thanks to the family after six months; I can honestly say it was the hardest letter I have ever written but I was determined to write it and felt honoured to have the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks.. I also sent a card, via my Transplant Unit, on the fifith anniversary to tell them I was very well and to thank them once again.

It seems from some of the comments here that this is different in the US, perhaps even different in each state. Obviously, I often wonder about my donor and his family. I am interested in others thoughts; did anyone find this knowledge difficult or unsettling? Is it common to meet the donors' family?