This is for me. I have decided that I want to donate mine (or any part of it that might be useful) when I am done with it. Even though I expect to continue to need it for many years I want to start looking into it.
My husband donated his brain for dementia research so I'm not entirely new to the concept, but I've only recently made this decision for myself. It would be good to hear from someone who has handled this for a loved one.
I am toying with the idea of donating my body to science. We have a Med School here and I know there will always be a need.
After the donation, the cremains are returned to the family, if they choose, or placed in a special resting place. My DIL talked about the "party" (kind of the wrong word, more of a memorial service" to pay honor to those people who donated their bodies. She said the students were taught to respect these remains as if they had been family.
Then she died in another state. The next morning I got on the phone with that medical school and then said rather than go to the expense of shipping her body, just call the medical school nearest us (which they named for me).
There ARE some restrictions. Cadavers for the anatomy class need to be complete -- no organ-removing surgeries -- and there are a couple of diseases they won't take (the infectious ones, if I recall correctly).
They told us we would receive her ashes in one to two YEARS ... which was accurate.
The total cost to us was under $200 (this was in 2002) for transportation. We had a fine memorial service at the time, and were invited to the medical school's memorial service at the end of her 'cadaver' year.
A similar experience in a different state when my in-laws died, a year or two apart.
When he died, I notified the program director. He notified a local funeral home, and Dad's body was removed to the funeral home, and sent on to the university. There was no cost to our family.
Before his body was used by med students, there was a luncheon for the families of the deceased, and I got to meet the students that would be studying Dad's body. They asked me all types of questions about Dad and our family. They wanted to know about Dad's life, his likes and dislikes, etc. They were a great group of students, and they made me feel like Dad's contribution was very much appreciated. When their coursework with Dad's body was over (approximately a year later), there was a memorial ceremony for the families and again I got to visit with the students and Dad's contribution was recognized. It was very moving. Dad's ashes were taken care of by the university. (Dad could have had them sent back home to us, but he didn't sign up for that.) This was such a positive experience that three other family members and I have already done the paperwork to donate our bodies when the time comes.
My LO had an infectious disease, so his body can't be donated. Wanted to let others know that I've made and prepaid for his cremation expenses, which was around $1400, including the container. What you may not know, is that the funeral home's prices aren't set in stone. I got several quotes, and the funeral home that I actually preferred matched the lowest price. It was very comforting to have it completed, and they have all of his bio info for the death certificate and obituary. I urge you to do that. Now I need to get back there and do it for myself!
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