Leaving body to science?

Errata

Good point, toodle, and I believe that some bodies are not accepted at all.

There's lots of information and copies of all the forms that needed to be completed on the Human Tissue Authority website (link in my post above) which is the government body tasked with dealing with bodies donated for science. It has am excellent FAQ section.

FriendlyJ

Hiya
The medical research / science dept's at the universities
can be very picky about who they accept. If the person who has died was very poorly they quite often do not want the body. They will keep the body for a maximum of 3 years & then dispose in a private service which the family can attend if they wish.

ems2

fifitrix123 wrote: »

Why not be plastinised (sorry about spelling) by professor Von Gunter at Heidelburt University and have your body on show for all to see and learn from? He is the guy who does the programme Autopsy on Channel 4.
I sent away for the information pack (look him up on the net) it was very well set out and easy to use and takes the whole family into consideration at your difficult time.
I have seen the exhibition and you could be a star after your gone, its fascinating and really helps.:beer:

Facinating though this exhibition was, IMHO it is just that, an 'art' exhibiion to capitalise by using different medium. Not really science.

Swirlywurly

As a medical student I am very grateful to people who have chosen to donate their bodies to the medical school. If that is the sort of thing you were considering we have a rememberance thanksgiving service which families often attend and as other people have said you would need to contact the university if that is something you were interested in.

Gingham_Ribbon

I had no idea they kept the bodies for that long. I would be interested provided they'd be 'done' with me within a week or 2 so my family could get on with a funeral. Do they do that?

wannabe_sybil

My great uncle couldn't bear the thought of wasting money on a funeral so we followed his wishes and donated his body to science. I think we contacted the BMA for medical research but the local university should be a good starting place

We had to pay £300 to send his remains down to London, but that is so much cheaper than a funeral.

They would use the remains to teach anatomy over a number of years, and my great uncle was finally laid to rest three years later.

The thing about putting your wishes about cremation, burial etc in a will, the remains are not yours to dispose of any more, but part of the estate and I believe there is no way of compelling an executor to arrange cremation rather than burial, although a legacy of £5 could be contested through the courts.

angie_baby

AnnieM wrote: »

A useful bit of reading on the subject might be this:

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

by Mary Roach

It's fascinating and well-written, and gives a good insight into some of the uses for donated bodies

HTH

I agree, quite enjoyed this book too.

wannabe_sybil

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

I had no idea they kept the bodies for that long. I would be interested provided they'd be 'done' with me within a week or 2 so my family could get on with a funeral. Do they do that?

I don't think it works like, my great uncle was studied by one student for the duration of a three year course and they arranged for him to be laid to rest although we could have had a funeral should we wished

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

fifitrix123 wrote: »

Why not be plastinised (sorry about spelling) by professor Von Gunter at Heidelburt University and have your body on show for all to see and learn from? He is the guy who does the programme Autopsy on Channel 4.
I sent away for the information pack (look him up on the net) it was very well set out and easy to use and takes the whole family into consideration at your difficult time.
I have seen the exhibition and you could be a star after your gone, its fascinating and really helps.:beer:

We saw this exhibition and it was fascinating,the organs alone were amazing to see,and the full body displays were mesmerising.My daughter who is in her 30s has already donated her body for this purpose.We don't mind,after all when your'e dead your'e dead so you may as well get used for something.

popularfurball

Swirlywurly wrote: »

As a medical student I am very grateful to people who have chosen to donate their bodies to the medical school. If that is the sort of thing you were considering we have a rememberance thanksgiving service which families often attend and as other people have said you would need to contact the university if that is something you were interested in.

I second this - Although I am not doing medicine, I am doing a course similar to physiotherapy, and as part of our anatomy learning we go to "Anatomy School" - it was truly invaluable. We were told by the instructors at anatomy school that the medicine course gets a body each, and as they progress through their degrees they disect different parts as they come up. They are really respectful of the body and are tactful of the disection methods - also the instructors that supervise are so mad keen on it its great - so I know at elast in Manchester, that you will be treated well.