An anatomical donation allows a research institution to study new ways to understand and fight serious diseases.   Full body donation can support the progress of research in fields such as cancer treatment, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.  An anatomical body donation to science is often attributed with an unfair stigma, although the process of an anatomical full body gift is not much different than the process a mortician follows for a standard funeral.  What differs is that an anatomical body donation facilities the collection of viable tissues and specimens for important scientific study, before the remains are cremated.  The cremated remains can then be returned to the family if this is their wish.  The timescale for this will vary dependent upon the institution selected.

If you or a loved one is considering cremation as an alternative to a traditional funeral, you could consider making an anatomical gift.   Only the legal next-of-kin(s) of the deceased can provide the necessary consent for donation if the donor did not provide it to the specific accepting program prior to death.  Individuals may request a consent form and will be supplied with information about policies and procedures that will take place after the potential donor is deceased. 

Body donation is not regulated through licensure and inspection by the federal government and most states. The legal right for an individual to choose body donation is governed by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act which has been largely adopted by most states. Laws relating to the transportation and disposition of human bodies apply.

There are a number of organizations who provide a free cremation to those who make a full body donation to science. Making an anatomical gift is a final act of caring and leaves a legacy of hope for the future.