Carolina Donor Services / Funeral Directors

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

As part of our continuing efforts to facilitate organ and tissue donation, Carolina Donor Services' staff includes a Funeral Home Liaison to actively work with the coroners, medical examiners and funeral homes in our service area.

We also build relationships with funeral directors and embalmers through various educational programs and in-service workshops, enabling them to facilitate the donation process. Carolina Donor Services has initiated:

A Post-Donor Follow-Up Program

Carolina Donor Services personally makes hundreds of visits each year to funeral homes after they have worked with donor families.

Reimbursement of Reasonable Costs

Carolina Donor Services reimburses funeral homes for reasonable costs directly incurred as a result of the donation process. Any costs related to donation are not passed on to the donor family.

Funeral Service Support

Carolina Donor Services' Funeral Home Liaison is a resource for funeral homes with questions regarding organ and tissue procurement, recovery and post-donation care. If your funeral home offers pre-planning services, Carolina Donor Services can provide informational material to assist the people you serve in learning about the choice of donation. As part of its commitment to Funeral Homes, Carolina Donor Services is a member of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association (NCFDA), Funeral Directors and Morticians Association of NC, Inc. (FD&MA), the Cremation Association of North Carolina (CANC), and the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA).

Your Part of the Gift: A Guide for Funeral Directors

This brochure explains general information regarding donation. Contact our Funeral Home Liaison for a printed version of the Your Part of the Gift Brochure or click here to download a copy now.

Obituaries and Memorials

Donor families may be unaware of the choices they have to honor the memory of their loved one. Carolina Donor Services supports your efforts to provide grieving families with options that re-affirm their decision to donate life and personalize each funeral service.

If a family wishes to have their loved one's gift of life recognized formally in the obituary, you may suggest any of the following phrases:

"John gave in death, as he gave in life. John was an organ and/or tissue donor."
"John was an organ and/or tissue donor."
"John's final act was to give the gift of life through organ and/or tissue donation."
"John gave the gift of life through organ and/or tissue donation."
The "Donate Life" logo can also be used to accompany an obituary indicating that the deceased gave the gift of life as an organ/tissue donor.

Memorial/Tribute Contributions

Carolina Donor Services is appreciative of the opportunity to help families and friends honor their loved ones. Each tribute and memorial contribution is appropriately acknowledged. Financial contributions to Carolina Donor Services support two special funds - the Public Education Fund and the Donor Family Fund. Both funds help Carolina Donor Services meet the special needs of the individuals, families and communities it serves.

The Public Education Fund supports outreach and awareness initiatives and projects, including programs to reach employers and employees throughout the region, school and church programs and general awareness. Some of these funds are used to purchase materials, such as health fair giveaways, donor pins, teaching and clergy manuals, as well as advertising (newspaper, radio, billboards) to promote awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation.

The Donor Family Fund provides services for those who choose to give others the gift of life through organ and tissue donation. Gifts to this fund help Carolina Donor Services provide bereavement services to grieving families, facilitate correspondence between donor families and recipients and recognize the generous gift of donors at annual Celebration of Life services held across North Carolina each April.

Donations to these funds should be made to:

Carolina Donor Services

Attn: Kirk Mizelle, CFO

909 E. Arlington Blvd.

Greenville, NC 27858.

Please specify which fund you wish to support on your check or a note accompanying the check.

Life Anew

The Life Anew Program Coordinator reaches out to donor families by mail and phone throughout a two-year-period after the date of donation. In addition, we offer support resources and the opportunity to make a quilt square and take part in our Celebration of Life services.

For more information on Carolina Donor Services' Funeral Director Program, email our Funeral Home Liaison.

If you have an issue that needs immediate attention please call our Donor Services Center at 1-800-252-2672. Call Center Coordinators are available 24 hours a day to assist our Funeral Directors.