Programs for families of organ and tissue donors.

Until recently, the families of patients who have given the gift of life have been the invisible group in the transplant circle. They donated the organs and tissues of their loved ones to unknown transplant recipients and then were to grieve alone. As transplantation has matured and become the treatment of choice for end stage organ failure and for other life-enhancing procedures, the importance of the donor and the donor family is being recognised and their needs and expectations identified.