Family Services

Without the generosity of donors and their families, the ability to enhance the lives of others through the preservation and restoration of sight would not be possible. At Iowa Lions Eye Bank, we provide a variety of services for the families of donors to remember and honor their loved one, and for recipients to thank those that gave the gift of sight. 

For many years, the eye bank has facilitated written communication between donor family members and cornea transplant recipients, maintaining a policy that respects and advocates anonymity for all concerned. In 2010, Iowa Lions Eye Bank created the Gratitude is the Best Attitude program which provides recipients with all the tools needed to connect with their donor's families to say thank you for their loved one's gift and share how their life has changed since their transplant.

Gratitude is the Best Attitude packets are enclosed with the surgeon’s paperwork and sent with the cornea designated for the patient’s transplant. Attached instructions direct the corneal surgeon to present the packet to the recipient on the day of surgery. Contents of the packet include a personal letter from the medical director of Iowa Lions Eye Bank; a unique, blank note card; and various materials that strongly encourage and instruct the recipient’s timely expression of gratitude, along with suggestions of items to discuss in this correspondence.

Once correspondence has been mailed and received by the eye bank, the family services coordinator becomes the "go-between" for donor families and recipients to encourage, receive, track, and forward all written correspondence.