An organ donor is someone who gives consent to allow their organs to be donated immediately after death to help those in need of a transplant. Typically, you register to become an organ donor when you sign up or renew your license. You will then be added to the national system, which matches patients in need with recently deceased patients.
Did you know that there is another form of donation that you can also sign up for? Let’s take a closer look into what body donation is and what you need to know about it before signing up.
What is Body Donation?
Body donation involves donating your entire body after death. Typically, these bodies are used for educational purposes to help further scientific, medical, and forensic research. When you donate your body to science, you help doctors and researchers find new ways to treat people through medical advancements. It also helps them to gain a better understanding of the human body. Science is an evolving field, and body donation makes many medical advances and research possible.
Eligibility
Unlike registering to be an organ donor at the DMV, body donation is a much different process since there are many programs to choose from. You must do your research and understand the program for which you are registering. Different programs may use your body in different ways. Therefore, it’s vital to know the terms, especially if something does not sit right with you.
It’s also important to note that eligibility differs when you look into body donation. For example, many programs do not have age limits and will accept people who have died of a wide variety of causes and environments. However, there can be some limitations that can affect your eligibility, which include:
- the program you sign up for
- the body has been autopsied, mutilated, or decomposed
- donations are not needed
- the donor has an infectious or contagious disease
- next of kin objects to body donation
- the body is not physically acceptable
Do Your Research
Before signing up for any program, you should always read the fine print. There are also a few things to consider, such as if you want to have an open casket at your funeral or not. If you want to have an open casket during funeral services, then body donation may not be the way to go.
Another thing to keep in mind is cremation. Many people choose to be cremated after death and have their ashes be given to family members. Choosing body donation means that your family will not be able to keep a part of you with them.
Conclusion
Even though this can be a difficult topic to think about, there are many advantages to body donation. In the end, you decide to do with your body what you please, even after death. Always do your research before committing to a program; this will ensure that you fully understand the terms and agreements you are signing up for. Are you looking for professional funeral services? Visit us at Woodward Cremation and Funeral Services to get more information on the range of services we offer.
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