the body after death

Ok! The "weird thinking" was the mention of disposing of human remains in a hospital incinerator.

That wasn't the point I was making, granjura. This thread is not about how much of someone's body is left after donating organs, it's about what happens to the remains.

That's why I questioned the wording in the Discussions box, if I must spell it out.

Parts not needed do go into hospital furnaces. In effect, they are used to heat the hospital, so not wasted - dust to dust and all that. It wouldn't worry me at all. There are often huge outcries about aborted babies going the same way.

Personally, if I no longer need my body then I don't mind what is done with it. Worrying about my corpse may upset my family, but I think I would rather donate my body and spare anyone the expense.

A funeral is a rite of passage for those left behind. It doesn't matter to the corpse one way or the other because whether you believe the soul has moved on or that that person has simply ceased to be the physical body is just an empty shell.

Thanks for clarify Ana- but NO, you do not HAVE TO spell anything out, thank you.

If anyone is thinking of using BB Funerals (I think they are also known as Brooks at the same address), please be aware that their idea of how to speak to a Client at a time of bereavement is sadly lacking. I needed to get things done cheaply and said that I needed a service to be provided that was essentially that of a courier - meaning basic transport and storage for a short time. The response I got from Catherine Broad (I suspect she is the owner) was to tell me to get a cheap coffin online, hire a van and do it myself. Incredibly unprofessional and followed up by further comments of a similar nature. They are apparently not registered with any of the trade organisations so I strongly recommend that you avoid them.

This is not spam or anything else and I have the original emails saved - I simply don't want anyone else to be subjected to such poor behaviour at the very worst time.

Duly noted, and sorry that you had a difficult time

Not your fault! ;-)

Thanks though - it's appreciated.

I think they are also www.999funerals.co.uk - multiple sites is not usually a good indicator but I didn't see this before. Hopefully this will save at least one person from a bad experience!

Remains after organ removal can be donated to local teaching hospital for students to chop up.

Personally I think we should be turning them into pig and chicken food the way dead chickens and fish are made into farm feed.

Remains are not used by 'students to chop up' - they're made good use of by medical students in serious studies of anatomy and physiology.

There's no need to be deliberately vulgar and brash.

My DH has left his body to our local medical school and they will also dispose of the remains after they have done with it. He takes pride in telling everyone that he has done this because it is all free and as a thrifty tight Yorkshireman he has a reputation to maintain!

He also says he doesn't want a wake but DD has told him it won't be up to him and we shall do what we decide to do without his input!

A friend of mine who has had a terrible history of poor mental health has donated her brain to medical science.

Oh I neat

Ignore above -was going to say something then changed my mind.

I discovered by accident really that my DDs whole family including the two wee boys are on the donor register. DD is a nurse and works in a team where they get a lot of otherwise healthy trauma patients whose organs etc would be good for donation.
Apparently the young people get written to at 18 to make their own donor declarations. A bit scary.
I don't have a donor card I wonder if many bits of me would be worth salvaging.

Good for them Nellie- I am always amazed how parents and grand-parents are so grateful for the donation of organs when their little ones need them- and yet will NOT give organs of little ones when a sad and terrible accident occurs - as they can't bear their bodies to be touched. Makes no sense to me...

I'd go further and say that anyone on the donor register should have priority when an organ becomes available.

rosewhite, it actually doesn't work in the way you describe. DH and I have donated our bodies for medical research. When we die, the whole body is taken to the nearest University that deals with medical research, (likely to be St Andrews for us). Because the University needs the whole body, it's been necessary for us to come off the Donor Register, unfortunately. However, hopefully it'll be a case of swings and roundabouts, and the knowledge gained from 'chopping up our bodies', as you so quaintly describe it, will save as many lives as donating our organs.

2 family friends have donated their bodies for medical research. After some time, when young medics had finished their work, a memorial service was held in the university chapel and the remains were respectfully cremated.
I'm on the donor register but had never considered that this is an either/or situation.

It's just that no time can be 'wasted' (not an appropriate word perhaps, mcem), and the body needs to be taken straight away to the University. My friend is a retired minister who was a Chaplain at the Uni carried out this service sometimes.
There are occasions when the body cannot be used, at times such as when there has had to be a Post Mortem, for instance. I suppose that would mean that no organ could be donated in that case either.