Donating body to science
montanajoe
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Great idea, but not all companies/ organizations are the same. Be ware.
Wife's parents both signed up for a donate to science when they depart. They wanted no funeral and no expense left behind.
The time came not too long ago for the need to use moms policy.
Finding, making contact with company was very hard
You must fill out a lengthy questionnaire of how the person died and the medical history
You must pay for transport of the body to the facility that can use it
They will only take the body if it meets the criteria they are looking for at that time
It was a nightmare, and added burden all of which the original intent was to avoid.
We came up with the funds for local cremation and worked with our local funeral director.
Just be ware not all donation societies are as easy as it sounds.
Comments
Good tip,
my Father's ashes are in Arlington he died in 1998.
My mother wanted her ashes to be with him and this was understood between her and her 2nd husband who is still living. Unfortunately she did not specify this in her will and even after getting Senator involved, notarized statements from literally all living relatives including her living husband we are still far from sure we can get her remains into Arlington where he is.
Had she not remarried no problem. We have made sure they know we want no special service or function just open drawer and put her in her spot. I told my brother who lives in Virginia that worse case take her urn there to the gate with a note:
"These remains are (my Moms name) to be buried with (my Dads name) now its your option toss them out or put them there"!
I guess we could visit Dad's spot at the Columnbarium (sp) and just scatter her there if no movement from Arlington.
Moral of that story; Make sure your will covers the disposal of your remains.
Not that we would do that, but good information. Thanks Joe.
Thanks for the information. Sorry your family had to deal with it though
My neighbor had her body donated to a Medical school here in Georgia to aid students in their studies, after a year went by the school cremated her body and hand delivered them (ashes) to he son. Absolutely no cost involved to anyone.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
My mother did the same. Given all her years as a nurse it seemed the obvious choice.
The night she passed they, hospital staff, were pestering me every five minutes to have her transported. Several fruitless phone calls were made to KU and I eventually called a mortuary. Several weeks after I got a letter from KU. They had contacted the mortuary concerning transport expenses and sent me a full refund along with a hand written note of condolences and an apology. They had been short staffed at the time with no one to answer the phone after hours.
I would never donate. My family can receive fair and just compensation or they can suck it.
Not an organ donor either, because they will pull the plug on you. I've seen it happen.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Mr P, I don't know about you, but I don't want to stay plugged in being dead but still racking up massive hospital bills.
No, I mean before that.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Interesting subject🤔
About 25 years ago, the local mailman (who happens to be my little brother), had a package come from California addressed to POSTMASTER. So he and the postmaster opened the letter attached. It said: 'Postmaster, the package contains the ashes of my aunt, who used to live on the first farm north of town during the Depression. She wanted her ashes scattered on the farm, if that is possible. She has no relatives in Iowa anymore so we hope you can help us out. Thank you.'
My brother took the package to the widow who now lived on the farm and told her the story. She wanted to help, so they opened the box and scattered the ashes around the yard.
Not your average delivery by any means!
Wait, you can donate bodies?? I've just been burying em in my back yard.
I have always been skeptical about cremated remains. Who is going to know if those ashes are actually those of Uncle Fred??
Just like taking a deer to a busy meat processor. Is that bundle I received really the same deer I shot? I guess I must have trust issues.
Does it really matter, aren't the memories more important than a pile of ashes wether they are the persons or not?
My bride was the world's WORST plant thief. Everywhere we went, there was going to be a seed pod or a pinched off cutting (here, put this in your pocket and act normal) I don't mean just places like the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway- talking Mount Vernon, Monticello, Colonial Williamsburg, I swear to God, the woman had a trowel and pruning shears hidden in her purse.
At her request, she was cremated. But what to do with her ashes? Well, our daughters and I talked it over, and they joined in a conspiracy. They put together a list of the scenes of the crimes. Having drawn up a list of targets, for the past year, they have been leaving a teaspoon of their Mom's ashes at each target. What is left will grace her flower beds.
She would have loved it.
I watch a young doctor (well to me maybe in his early 30's ? ) they use cadavers all the time he shows and discusses a lot about our body's and uses the e body parts to demonstrate how every thing works or is effected . interesting stuff I do not remember his user name on youtube
however almost every show he has tables with cadavers in the back ground and says we treat them all with respect, and can not say thank you enough to the family's and people who choose to leave the body to science and further study's its helps so much in the study of doctors and related medical fields that people do so
.. all the time holding a sectioned head . arm ,leg ,some organ . I am sure it may be a bit unnerving to some to watch
but I find him interesting to watch not I am not morbid he does it so any one can understand
I've got a very strong feeling most on here would be dead if not for someone donating their bodies to science in the past.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
I looked into the donating to science and determined that my remains most likely will not meet the requirements to go to a medical school. My general intention (that I need to get notarized) is to recycle any parts anyone can use and burn the rest. If there is any kind of memorial notice I want the avatar photo seen here to be used. [A selfie from before that was a thing, circa 2002?]
My wife pays to get back some ashes of her most beloved pets, but the fact is unless you pay a ridiculous extra fee, what you get back is some ashes from a group of pets cremated together.