Donating your body to science, vs a burial. Who else?

I got my letter and card yesterday from Wright State University in Dayton.  I had to fill out two forms, have one notarized, and took about a week.  I first heard about doing this about a year ago & finally did it.

I'm not married, no kids (at 52 I don't plan on any), no brothers or sisters, my mom is 72 and likely to pass before me, and not in contact with my dad (stepdad passed in 2010 after a home accident).  I didn't see the point of a burial or even cremation.  They do whatever they need with my remains then cremate and put in a public garden.

Curious if anyone else is doing this?  I just had a will made last month and assumed I could just put that in there, but found out you have to arrange it first with a college.

I feel as I have been slowly donating my body to science for at least the past 30 years. 

But I applaud your choice, and I say this as a former college student who spent a lot of time in the cadaver lab. 

I'm planning to live forever. So far, so good!

A good idea. Just watch out for Stephen Gore if this sort of thing bothers you.

Another clever option IMO is a green burial - basically a simple old-school burial in a sack or minimalist coffin with a tree on top. Who are people preserving their corpses for with embalming and fancy expensive coffins?

Oh, BTW, ScienceCare.com was our choice for my MIL a few years ago, and my dad this spring.

As for me, "I'm not dead yet!"

After the autopsy, we donated our daughters heart. I don't think anything came of it, but she will probably be in at least one research paper at some point.

I hadn't thought of it, tbh. I think I may do that. I'll ask my wife too. But we're hopefully 50-70 years from that. 

My Mom has cancer and started in home hospice this week.  She wants to donate her body to science too!  She is in Colorado (I'm in North Carolina) and I found this organization.  No dealings with them yet, but soon!

Science Care

Anything that circumvents the death industry is a positive in my book. Add in the benefit of adding to humanity's collective knowledge,  sweet!

Having gone through the mortuary/funeral/cremation process a few times I want no one to have to do that for my lifeless husk. 

I seriously had a salesman tell me that if I really loved my wife I would buy (gestures toward a $10,000+ box) this triple sealed steel casket to preserve her as long as possible. 

I just read a story about a guy donating his wife's body to science and finding out later that a private company had actually blown her up to test impact of their explosives on people. 

But do I really care if I'm blown up after I'm dead? I have a few years to ponder it. 

We're organ donors, then we're set to be cremated, but we gave DDs #1 and #2 the option to donate us to science if there was something interesting about our deaths.

bearmtnmartin said:

I just read a story about a guy donating his wife's body to science and finding out later that a private company had actually blown her up to test impact of their explosives on people. 

I heard that story as well, but wondered how he found out about what they did...it doesn't seem like the kind of information that would be volunteered.

I already have my driver's license marked that I'll be an organ donor, but have been thinking about the whole body donation to science as well - just haven't done anything about it yet.

Already an organ donor; I've thought about the whole body donation when I die.

It's either that, or I have my family set me on a pyre and light a fire.

bearmtnmartin said:

I just read a story about a guy donating his wife's body to science and finding out later that a private company had actually blown her up to test impact of their explosives on people. 

But do I really care if I'm blown up after I'm dead? I have a few years to ponder it. 

I told my daughter to make sure I get blown up!

Honestly though, I think science may have an interest in studying my leftovers - as a non-smoker/drinker/drug-user, who’s not obese and without any chronic(as of yet) illnesses; yet also someone whose eaten an entire diet of processed/frozen/junk/fast-food my entire life, I think someone may be interested in the results. 

I wonder if there’s anyway to specify something like this now, rather than just a general donation?

Pete Gossett said:

Honestly though, I think science may have an interest in studying my leftovers - as a non-smoker/drinker/drug-user, who’s not obese and without any chronic(as of yet) illnesses; yet also someone whose eaten an entire diet of processed/frozen/junk/fast-food my entire life, I think someone may be interested in the results. 

You're the immunity-carrying survivor of our junk food apocalypse

I just want a Viking Funeral.   I probably won't have much trouble finding people to shoot flaming arrows at me in a wooden boat...

That's where we got the cadavers for gross anatomy lab.   And they go other places too.  It really does help "science and E36 M3."  Even if your body gets blown up afterwards, that will probably help someone still living survive being blown up.

Just had to deal with this myself 3 weeks ago.  Fortunately, cremation was on the table, per the deceased's wishes.  Found a really great funeral home,

https://www.sunsetfuneralcare.com/

Sunset Funeral Care in Redlands, CA, that handled everything for one large, plus death certificates and a modest upgrade on the urn.  They had like 5 star ratings on teh googles. Be sure to shop around when you have to do this.  Out in the PRC, the places I called all had the same price.  I suspect either price collusion or a state mandated fee structure.  Over here in Free America, when we had to go through this, the difference in prices was 2-3X. 

The VA buried the urn in a National Cemetery, provided the minister, plaque, honor guard (M1 Garands), Coasties (his branch) to fold the flag, etc, the works absolutely free of charge.  You get him to the gate, they take care of it after that.  So, if there's a veteran involved, keep that in mind.

trucke said:

My Mom has cancer and started in home hospice this week.  She wants to donate her body to science too!  She is in Colorado (I'm in North Carolina) and I found this organization.  No dealings with them yet, but soon!

Science Care

Yes, Science Care.

While I have looked into this in the past, my current "after life plan" we'll call it is to have some of my ashes shot into space. I don't know if donating science and doing that are mutually exclusive, or will be when I die, but I see that as being the only way I ever actually make it off this rock, barring a power ball ticket.

I am an organ donor, however after having been one of the decision makers for my Mom's post-mortem arrangements, I am seriously considering donating my body to science. 

Funeral homes are legislatively-supported scams IMHO. Charged us $425 for a mdf box that was being incinerated anyway. But they will try to sell you the $5K casket even if you have chose cremation. 

jharry3 said:

I just want a Viking Funeral.   I probably won't have much trouble finding people to shoot flaming arrows at me in a wooden boat...

if you're dead, finding pyromaniac archers won't even be your problem, will it?

I saw something about having your remains turned into an artificial reef not long ago.

But yeah- I don't want to get buried. Send me to the body farm or a medical school.

In reply to jharry3 :

But maybe not the chiefs brother from Norsemen on netflix

NGTD said:

Funeral homes are legislatively-supported scams IMHO. Charged us $425 for a mdf box that was being incinerated anyway. But they will try to sell you the $5K casket even if you have chose cremation. 

I was charged 275.89 for a cardboard box on a pallet, the "bare minimum vessel allowed by law" but was strongly urged to think of the deceased's dignity and that the crematable upgrades that started at 1500 offered a better experience.  There I was, going through the worst experience of my life and I had a salesman trying to profit from it. 

Gotta get that True coat!

NGTD said:

I am an organ donor, however after having been one of the decision makers for my Mom's post-mortem arrangements, I am seriously considering donating my body to science. 

Funeral homes are legislatively-supported scams IMHO. Charged us $425 for a mdf box that was being incinerated anyway. But they will try to sell you the $5K casket even if you have chose cremation. 

So, the mdf box is their most modestly priced receptacle?

Hadn't really ever thought about it. Had always wanted cremation and to be spread somewhere I remember fondly. 

Although, it's not like that matters as I won't know the difference. Just makes those left without you feel better.