When can I contact my recipient?

It’s a remarkable and emotional moment for anyone wishing to connect with their recipient. It’s natural to be curious as to who has received your stem cells! Since a recipient’s identity is anonymous, there are a few things you need to consider when you decide to write to them.

• Check if you can contact your recipient

In certain countries, donors and recipients cannot contact one another. Even if it has been two or ten years since your donation. The best way to find this out is to speak to your Donor Support Coordinator.

• Keep your correspondence anonymous

It’s best to leave out names, addresses, where you’re from, birthdates or where you donated. This is to respect each other’s privacy and to protect you both.

• Send your letter or card to us

You won’t be able to send your correspondence directly to your recipient. The best thing to do is email a copy of your correspondence to us or pop it in the post to ABMDR PO Box K358 Haymarket NSW 1240. Please note that we check all correspondence to make sure there is no identifying information. If there is, we will omit this information, usually by blanking it out.

• Keep in mind

Sometimes recipients may find the thought of making contact with their donors too overwhelming, or they may still be too ill. You may feel discouraged or disappointed if you don’t hear from your recipient. It certainly doesn’t mean they are not grateful for what you have done for them.

• After two years of exchanging letters and cards, you can contact your recipient directly

If there has been steady contact between you and your recipient and if, after two years post-donation, you agree, we can share your contact details with the recipient. If your recipient also asks us to share their contact details with you, we will arrange for this information to be exchanged so you can get in touch directly.

If you have questions about contacting your recipient, you can speak to your Donor Support Coordinator.

More information about contacting your recipient can be found in the recipient messages section of the donor portal.