Body donation.
A final gift that helps train doctors and advance medicine.
About 2 minutes to read
With whole-body donation, your body goes to a medical school or research program. Afterward the remains are cremated, and many programs return the ashes to family.
How it works
- Register ahead with a program near you. Most ask you to sign up before death.
- At the time of death, family calls the program, which confirms whether it can accept.
- The donation lasts months, sometimes a year or more, while students and researchers learn.
- The remains are cremated, and many programs return the ashes to family.
Have a second choice ready
A program can decline at the time of death, for reasons like certain illnesses, weight limits, a prior autopsy, or distance. Your plan keeps a backup choice, so family isn't left deciding in a hurry.
Read more: costs, memorials and organ donation
Donation itself usually costs the family nothing, though a funeral before donation, or a burial after, is theirs to arrange. A memorial can be held any time. Being a registered organ donor is different, and may affect whole-body donation, so ask the program.
In your plan, you’ll decide
- The program you’ll register with
- A second choice, in case it can’t accept
- Whether the ashes come back to family
- A memorial, whenever family is ready
Make it part of your plan.
Start from our body donation sample, with a memorial later.