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As a participant in human dissection programs, I have experienced the tremendous benefit and legacy of learning from those who chose whole body donation upon death. I have had the opportunity to study fascia, musculature, organs, joints, bone health, and the interconnectedness of the human body thanks to donors who ultimately became my teachers. My time in the lab learning from donor-teachers has enabled me to return to my Pilates and functional training studio with new insights and skills to help others move well, feel well, and live well. 

Why donate your body? 

The story of your life is recorded in the tissues of your body. By expanding study beyond books and computer models to the tissues of the human body, healthcare and wellness providers are given a more in-depth look at fascia, musculature, organs, pathology and bone health. Whole body donation creates an opportunity for others to see the interrelationships of various systems throughout the body and the unique expression of each donor. This study is invaluable for those trying to understand how the experiences of a lifetime can impact the body and how to improve future treatment and care as a direct result of your gift. Donating your body to scientific research is an amazing legacy—of learning, insight, education and outcomes. 

Make your wishes known

Most people don’t want to dwell on or think about the end of life, but it’s important to share with your friends and family your desire to become a whole body donor. It’s easier for loved ones to fulfill your requested directives when they know your wishes. MyDirectives offers a free service where you can document your end-of-life and after-life directives including your request to be a whole body donor. 

What to expect when you donate

At the time of death, your loved one places a call to the organization you have willed your body to, typically a local medical university. Once your donation is accepted, the organization will make the arrangements to transport your body, will pay for two death certificates, cremation and will return your ashes to your loved ones at the conclusion of anatomical study and research.

Depending on the agreement you made with the organization you are donating to, the time of study can vary between 3 weeks up to a year or more. 

Questions about whole body donation:

What if I have cancer? 

Even people with heart disease, diabetes, cancer or other illnesses can still meet the criteria for whole body donation. 

What about a memorial service? 

Whole body donation does not allow for an open-casket funeral. However, many families opt to have a memorial service before or after receiving the cremated remains. 

Are certain religions against whole body donation? 

Most religions including Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints see body donation as an individual’s choice and an act of charity. 

Can I request what research my body is used for? 

There are no guarantees that a request for the specific type of research can be honored, but many programs are trying to accommodate specific requests.

Can I be too old to donate? 

There is currently no age restriction for whole body donation although many organizations have a minimum age of 18 years old. 

Organ donation versus whole body donation

When you opt to donate organs, you help give life to others that need your organs to survive or thrive. According to the American Transplant Foundation, almost 114,000 of people in the United States are waiting for a lifesaving transplant.  

A whole body donation helps build the knowledge and skills of those in the healthcare community and will be vitally important in the quality of life for future generations. 

Even if you had registered at the motor vehicle office to be an organ donor, you can still request to be a whole body donor as well. At the time of your death, if there is a need for your organs, that donation will take precedence. 

Whatever choice you make, being an organ donor and/or a whole body donor are both extremely important. The reason the medical community can do organ transplants is because of what was learned earlier through research and education done on bodies donated to science. 

Thank you for considering whole body donation

I remain endlessly grateful to my donor-teachers who chose to leave a legacy of learning in their passing so that myself and others in the fields of movement training, manual therapy, and medicine could learn from them. 

Ashley, Taylor Pilates and Fitness