While traditional funeral arrangements are designed to honor life while offering solace and closure to loved ones, an alternative choice – body donation – is garnering attention as a noble act that carries one’s legacy through contributing to medical research and education.
What is body donation?
Body donation involves providing one’s mortal remains to medical institutions such as the University of Washington for educational purposes in medical schools or research facilities.
Upon donation, the body undergoes anatomical study, medical research or surgical training, offering invaluable insights to medical professionals aiding the advancement of scientific knowledge.
“Many individuals we speak with who choose body donation, do so because they are passionate about the medical advancements that can only come from research and from the education of our next generation of healthcare professionals,” Licensed Funeral Director, Erick Scheiderman, says sometimes they were nurses or doctors themselves, or perhaps had the joy of seeing a loved one benefit from new possibilities this research provides.”
Knowledge and discovery
Here in Sequim, Scheiderman and Community Outreach Coordinator Amanda Hough understand the significance of body donation, noting that it’s not an easy decision to make without proper research and discussion with family.
“Once the decision has been made by the individual or their family, we assist with the process of becoming pre-registered as a donor. Years down the road, when they pass away, we coordinate with the donor specialists at any number of the body donation programs, who ask qualifying questions regarding the state of the donor such as height, weight and cause of passing.”
Because of research requirements, donors must fall into a specific category to qualify. With exclusions such as communicable diseases, morbid obesity or emaciation, for example.
If the donor agency declines the use of a candidate’s body, Sequim Valley Chapel would then explore alternative options with the family of the deceased.
Compassionate care
Even though a donor can have their plans all lined up, Schiederman says it is essential to have a back up plan through a full service funeral home. This is done to prepare for unexpected causes resulting in revoked eligibility.
When arranging end of life plans. The following funeral services are available at Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel:
- Local, affordable cremation services
- Full-service traditional burials
- Human Composting
- Willed Body Donation Assistance
- Alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation)
- Military funeral honors
- Travel protection plans
- One-on-one access to professional and compassionate staff
“At the time of their passing, if a donor is denied, having a secondary plan in place will help us work with the family to ensure their loved one is cared for. Even though they’re a donor, they still need to work with a local funeral home to guarantee all steps are taken properly, from the initial call for services, obtaining death certificates to transportation of the remains to the donor agency,” says Schiederman.
Providing compassionate guidance and support to donors and their families, Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel ensures that every aspect of the body donation process is handled with utmost care, dignity and respect.
Learn more about this and other forms of dignified and affordable funeral arrangements at www.sequimvalleychapel.com or call 360-683-5242.
