MediGO is honored to partner with the dedicated professionals at organ procurement organizations who make a difference in the lives of organ donor families and transplant recipients.
The MediGO team understands that lifesaving organs are transplanted, primarily, after someone’s loved one has died. We realize that death has brought unbelievable sadness and sorrow to families hoping against hope for a different outcome.
We recognize the courage of those donor families who, even as they begin to process the death of a loved one, honor their loved one’s wishes or authorize donation on their behalf to save and enhance lives through organ, tissue and cornea donation. We can’t help but be deeply affected by the stories we hear and the families we meet.
With that in mind, we are eternally grateful for the exceptional work efforts OPOs put forth to provide grieving families with programs that honor the memories of their loved ones and offer support throughout their grief journeys.
Across the country, OPOs are lifting donor families through aftercare support programs which include updates about their loved one’s donations, literature and events designed specifically for donor families, coordination of correspondence between donor families and grateful recipients, Facebook support groups, and more.
Many OPOs provide remembrance keepsakes such as heartbeat bears and donor hero medals. They facilitate advocate-led programs to write letters, knit comfort shawls and more. Additionally, many OPOs provide specialized grief support for children.
Courtney Tillotta, aftercare support manager at Indiana Donor Network, says the organization’s Donor Hero Camp for children provides a unique opportunity for the youngest members of donor families to honor and remember their loved ones. “We felt it was important to provide this experience because we know the way a child feels and expresses grief is different from an adult,” said Tillotta. “Donor Hero Camp allows children of all ages to talk to each other on their own level and build lifelong friendships and support systems.”
The MediGO team thanks and honors all those who answer the call to help, from clinical teams, family services coordinators and aftercare specialists to hospital chaplains, medical transport personnel and funeral directors.
At every stage of the organ transplant journey, family members and medical personnel are best served when all stakeholders can better communicate and collaborate.
To learn more about how MediGO supports OPOs and their efforts to serve donor heroes, families and transplant recipients, visit gomedigo.io.
