National Donor Memorial
Celebrating 20 years of the Memorial Watch video
Visiting the Memorial
We invite you to visit The National Donor Memorial in person or virtually. Designed to reflect the emotional journey of donation and transplant, the Memorial is open every day of the year.
New Hamilton Glass mural
Wall of names
“When I visit the Memorial and read all the names, I know that I am not alone on this journey.”
—Donnetta Quarles-Reese, donor mother and donor wife
More than 100 invited guests were in attendance on Nov. 16, 2023 to mark the 20th anniversary of the National Donor Memorial at UNOS headquarters in Richmond, VA. Watch the highlights here or read more about event
Honoring donors
Created to honor all organ, eye and tissue donors, the Memorial holds in one space the loss and hope, gratitude and sorrow, memory and possibility of donation and transplant. Since the Memorial was first dedicated in 2003, thousands of visitors have come to remember loved ones, to give thanks for the gift of life and new beginnings, and to walk among the hundreds of names carved into the Memorial’s walls.
Scroll down the page to find additional ways to honor donors.
Donor tributes
Honor an organ donor by sharing an online tribute of their life’s special moments, accomplishments, and precious memories with family and friends. View tributes or share a donor tribute story through the links below.
Connecting donor families and recipients
Sometimes donor families and recipients choose to contact one another. While the decision to share your experience is a personal choice, many donor families and recipients find comfort in correspondence. How to reach out.
Make a gift to the National Donor Memorial
Your gift supports the 10,000 square foot memorial garden located in Richmond, Virginia dedicated to organ donors nationwide, as well as programs and activities supporting education, tours, and memorial celebrations.
Kristina Armstead, pictured above at the 20th anniversary of the National Donor Memorial, celebrated the life of her son Joe, who gave the gift of life at eight years of age. Kristina recalls her son’s commitment to helping others. He said, “If anything ever happens to me, they can take everything but my eyes. I need to see what is going on up there.”
The Lisa Schaffner Community Advocate Award
Developed by UNOS in 2010 as the National Donor Memorial Award for Excellence, this honor was recently reimagined as the Lisa Schaffner Community Advocate Award, in honor of the memory of Lisa Schaffner, a beloved advocate for donation and transplant and longtime member of Team UNOS who passed away in 2021.
The Lisa Schaffner Community Advocate Awards recognizes unsung heroes from across the country who have gone above and beyond to promote organ donation. Like its namesake, recipients are tireless champions who help change lives and inspire others through their advocacy.
Awardees
- 2017: Alejandra Cortes, sister of heart recipient
- 2016: Harvey J. Steele, liver recipient
- 2015: David and Susan Caples, donor parents
- 2014: Barbara Lee, social worker and volunteer
- 2013: Patty Jo Herndon, donor sister
- 2012: Tom Gano, donor father
- 2011: James Carter, donor father
- 2010: Milt and Janet Bemis, donor parents
2022: UNOS recognized Lisa Schaffner as the inaugural recipient of the Lisa Schaffner Community Advocate Award, in loving recognition of her commitment to organ donation and transplant, the countless lives she touched through her advocacy, and her enduring legacy as a force for good in her own backyard and across the nation.
National Tree of Life
The National Tree of Life virtual event is an opportunity to gather together to recognize the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation, to pay tribute to donors and their families, and to celebrate the lives of recipients across the country. We also hope this event may be a moment of solace for friends and families who are grieving, and for all who may experience a greater sense of loss during the holidays.
Watch the 2024 recorded event
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Donate Life America (DLA) hosted the National Tree of Life virtual event on Dec. 16, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. EST.
