| Submission Guidelines and Suggestions Photo Guidelines
Mailing or Faxing Your Submission
Writing a Donor Tribute
Photo Guidelines
Including a photograph of the donor is a great way to enhance your
tribute. There are two ways to send photos to us:
- Electronically. This requires you to have a digital
image file that is in JPG or GIF format, or that can be converted to
one of
those formats. Normally, you would send a scanned photo or a photo
that was taken with a digital camera. If you don't have access to
a scanner for your photo prints, most copy shops will scan your prints
for a small fee and give you an electronic file you can then send
us. The file size must also be kept to a minimum. If you send large
or high-resolution image files, the message may be delayed and resolution
reduced for posting online.
Photos can be attached to your Add a Tribute form,
or E-mailed to webmaster@donortribute.org.
If you E-mail a photo separately, be
sure to identify it carefully so we know which tribute it is for.
- In the mail. Send us a photographic copy, preferably
not a photocopy and not your original photo. If you send
photos to us in the mail,
we will make every effort to return them to you in a timely
manner, but please don't risk mailing your only originals! We cannot
be responsible for lost or damaged photographs. Photos may
be
mailed to: MEBTC,
Donor Tributes, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. If
you mail us a photo, please be sure to identify it carefully so we
know which
tribute it is for. Please note that when identifying your
photo, use a sticky note or tape a label to the back of
the photo. Do not write on the back of
the photograph if at all possible.
We reserve the right to modify photos and images
as necessary to comply with the requirements of the Donor Tribute
site. Copyrighted
materials will not be posted without owner permission. If you
have further questions about submitting photos for your tribute,
please
contact us.
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Mailing or Faxing Your Submissions
Mailing Address:
Donor Tribute
Midwest Eye-Banks
4889 Venture Drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
Phone (734) 764-3262
Fax (734) 998-9159 Note: If you are mailing items to be included with your tribute, we
will not post the tribute until we have received your mail.
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Writing a Donor Tribute
Donor tributes are meant to honor the memory of someone dear to you.
Before you submit a tribute, there are several important factors to consider. Privacy
Tips for Keeping Your Tribute Secure
Names, Titles and Headlines
Content Suggestions
Tribute Writing Tips for Corneal Transplant
Recipients
Privacy
The Internet allows you to share a variety of information
with the entire world. Unfortunately, you cannot control who in the world
is looking at your information, or what they may be doing with it. Therefore,
before you write a tribute, you must decide how much personal information
you are comfortable with putting out there.
First, you should be aware that any contact information
we solicit from you is for use by the Midwest
Eye-Banks and Transplantation Center (MEBTC) only. MEBTC does not
sell, share or release your personal information to other organizations
(see Privacy Statement). However, you
should also be aware that anything you include as part of your tribute
may be distributed on the World Wide Web. We ask that you exercise caution
when mentioning names, places and other personal information.
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a Donor Tribute Top
Here are some tips to
help keep your Donor Tribute
secure:
Never include your telephone number or home address.
If you are concerned about receiving unsolicited E-mails, do not add
your E-mail address to the tribute. Also, when the tribute submission
form asks whether you would like your E-mail address to display on the
tribute page, click No.
You may choose to remain anonymous, or keep the donor anonymous, by identifying
your tribute with a title only. Some people prefer to mention only the
donor's first name, which allows you to write a very personal tribute
without revealing too much.
If your tribute mentions family, friends, etc., it is best to get their
permission before you submit. They may prefer not to have their names
appear online.
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Names, Titles and Headlines
As the tribute author, it is your choice whether to include the name
of the donor you are honoring. If you prefer to keep the tribute anonymous
by leaving the Donor's Name field blank, then you must supply a tribute
title in the Title for Anonymous Listing field. In the absence of a donor
name, this title is used to index (alphabetically sort) your tribute.
When creating a title for your tribute submission, try to come up with
something that is both unique and appropriate. It should be unique in
order to distinguish it from other tributes that may carry the same or
similar title. It should be appropriate to the subject matter, so that
others who may wish to view your tribute will know what to expect. Highly
irreverent, humorous titles are not recommended in the context of the
Donor Tribute site.
The optional tribute headline will not appear in the index. It will only
appear at the top of your tribute. Headlines can be added whether or not
you include the donor's name. They can match the tribute title or the
donor's name, if you like.
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Content Suggestions
There are many ways to create a tribute. Some people choose to send a
few paragraphs with a photo of their loved one. Some submit a favorite
poem, or just a few words about why the person was special. Here are some
other ideas to help get you thinking about what you might like to submit:
- Send a photo of something your loved one created. Perhaps she or he
was a woodworker or quilt maker. Maybe the person loved to draw, or
to paint. You can take photos of, or possibly even scan, these artifacts
and submit them as part of a tribute. Perhaps you have a special poem,
handwritten by him or her, that you would like to share with the world.
Items like this can help to create a really special tribute.
- Write a poem about the donor, or have a child draw a picture to represent
a special relationship. This is a very meaningful and personal way to
express your love and admiration for someone who has given the Gift
of Sight by becoming an eye donor.
- Ask family and friends to contribute paragraphs or poetry for a written
tribute. You can submit a tribute on behalf of those whose lives were
touched by that special person.
- Honor the Gift of Sight made possible by the donor. After all, that's
why this site exists. Write a few words about why the person's eye donation
is meaningful to you. Perhaps the person was always helpful to others
in life, and giving the Gift of Sight was a reflection of her or his
personality. Maybe you, or someone you know, have received the Gift
of Sight from someone else. Whatever the case, our site visitors would
love to learn how your loved one's donation has made the world a better
place and, quite possibly, has helped your family through a difficult
time as well.
Of course, these are just suggestions. You don't have to submit anything
elaborate - just a few words or a single photo are enough. Remember that
we must reserve the right to edit anything you submit, or to reject inappropriate
content. See our Policy Statements and Editorial
Guidelines.
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Tribute Writing Tips for
Corneal Transplant Recipients
As someone who has been given the Gift of Sight through corneal transplantation,
you may wish to honor your donor by writing your own Donor Tribute. This
is a meaningful way to let all donor families know how much people, like
you, treasure the gift their loved ones made possible.
If you would like to submit a tribute, here are a few things you may
wish to consider:
- Make your tribute unique, to distinguish it from other similar tributes
from transplant recipients to their donors. Give it a title that will
make it stand out. Try to avoid things like "A Tribute to My Donor",
since many others may choose the same or similar title.
- Keep the audience in mind when writing your tribute. The family of
your cornea donor, and families and friends of countless other donors,
may be very interested in reading about how their donation has changed
your life. Other recipients may also want to see how your experiences
compare to their own.
- Give specific examples of how the transplant has improved your life.
What can you now see that you couldn't see before? What activities can
you enjoy, now that better vision has been restored? Has the experience
changed your outlook about donation and the kindness of strangers?
- On the Add a Tribute form, be sure to tell us your relationship to
the donor. When asked to specify "The donor was my...", select
Cornea Donor. You may also want this to appear on the tribute page.
- Since you probably don't know your donor's name, you will be writing
the tribute to an anonymous person. If that is the case, don't enter
anything for Donor's Name. Just give the tribute a title under Title
for Anonymous Listing.
- Feel free to submit a photo of yourself, your family, etc. or provide
a sample of something your renewed vision has enabled you to do.
Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge the gift your donor, and
her or his family, have made possible. Remember that it is you, and your
story of hope and renewed eyesight, that can provide a "silver lining" for those families who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
As a corneal transplant recipient, you may also wish to become a part
of the Eye-Bank's Ambassador
Program, and share your experience with others who give or receive
the Gift of Sight.
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