Whole Body Donation Blog

Recently I spoke to the next of kin of a gentleman who donated his body to support medical science. During this conversation I heard so many wonderful things about the donor that I was visibly moved. Of particular interest were the details of the many steps the family took to prepare for their loved ones death. As so many do the family began by contacting a few funeral homes to estimate the costs. One such funeral home happened to be one they were very familiar with. After a visit with the funeral home and many phone calls the family felt they had decided. Just then a neighbor weighed in on the family's decision and offered a referral to another home for a far lower cost. Then it dawned on the family that they had spent several days, many hours and a considerable amount of emotion only to learn that four funeral homes had four vastly different costs. Ranging in price from $8000-$12000 the family began to fear that they were overextending themselves and quickly realized the psychology behind funeral planning. You are asked to make important financial decisions, in some cases one of the biggest of your life, all the while walking around seemingly numb from the experience. What's more, the belief lies within us all that the funeral and all it's amenities (costs) are in direct proportion to how you feel about this person. Now who wants to be known for being cheap with their loved ones funeral?

This is the part of the conversation that stuck with me and the reason this post exists.

"My husband always said he didn't want people to make a fuss or go through any expense for his funeral. In fact, he joked that we should put him in a cardboard box and have a bonfire party complete with beer, food and music. We all knew that's what he wanted. My husband was a college professor who spent most of his life helping people. Even while working 60 plus hours a week he always found time to help one more person. Students, faculty, volunteer groups, etc. He did the same for his family and together we raised our children to share the same core values. Help others and you can achieve great things. Together. My husband saw how I labored over what I felt was a necessity. Preparing for a proper funeral. Worrying about the cost. He wrote these words down for me. "Honey. Stop trying to find or make arrangements for the perfect funeral. It doesn't exist. Instead give my body to medical science. Spend the money you would have on a funeral on a lavish party, or that vacation to Greece we spoke about last year. Or better yet, give it to charity. You know how I feel. The cardboard box suggestion wasn't a joke but I know you will never do that. So do this for me instead. Do something in my death that I would have continued to do in my life. Let me help someone one more time."

www.lifequestanatomical.com

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