The Home for Donor Families Online
Whether you are a donor family, healthcare professional, transplant recipient or friend, we welcome you to the National Donor Family Council's new online home. There are many things to see and do here, and we hope you'll visit us often. Comments or questions? E-mail donorfamily@kidney.org or call 800.622.9010. We'd love to hear from you!
For Those Who Give and Grieve newsletter
The Christmas Quilts, By Kris Herman, Donor Wife
Christmas of 2007 was
my first one without my
husband Tim, who had
passed away in June following a
ruptured brain aneurysm. It was also
our kids’ first Christmas without
their dad. Knowing it would be an
extremely difficult “first” for all of
us, and not really looking forward
to Christmas, I kept trying to come
up with a special gift idea for the
kids—something that Tim could be
part of, if only in spirit.
One day, I realized just how many
t-shirts Tim used to have! Suddenly
it became abundantly clear what
to do for the kids for their special
Christmas gift. There were enough
t-shirts to make quilts for me and
for each of our four kids. The quilts
would be the work of my hands, but
mostly would be a gift of love from
their dad. 
A Donor Sister's Thoughts on the U.S. Transplant Games
In 1999, my brother Paul died from massive head injuries after a terrible car wreck. He waited for me, the last family member, to arrive at the hospital before he finally let go. As you can imagine, we were heart-broken, stunned and along with that, we were immediately faced with a very an important decision. But we wouldn't know how important until years later.
The US Transplant Games May Be Over, But Their Spirit Lives On!
Be sure to check out the comprehensive reporting and photo galleries from the 2008 US Transplant Games at www.transplantgames.org! The stories and photos cover all the athletic events, donor recognition ceremonies and other special programs & events for transplant recipients, donor families and living donors. Don't miss this chance to get a sense of the achievements and emotional impact this amazing event inspires. And be sure to "Save the Date" for the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games, which will be held July 30- August 4, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin.
