College to hold service in memory of body donors
Since 1849, UCC has received about 20 bodies each year from the Munster area.
The non-denominational service will be the first ever to be held in memory of the “public-spirited people” who indicated prior to their deaths that they wished to donate their bodies to the college’s department of anatomy and neuroscience.
Professor of Anatomy John F Cryan said the college was “very grateful” to those who are generous enough to donate themselves for medical science and education.
“Such bequests are essential to our proper functioning within the medical and other health science schools. The body donors’ selfless actions benefit the education of approximately 600 students each year.
“I am delighted to say, representatives of our students that have benefited from this generosity will take an active part in the service and acknowledge the gift they have been given by their first patients,” he said.
The service, in the Honan Chapel at UCC on Thursday Mar 15 at 4pm, will be attended by about 250 people, including relatives and friends of the deceased, current students, staff, senior university representatives, and clergy.
The college said anyone can register to become an anatomical donor. The body usually remains with the college for about two years and burial or cremation then takes place in accordance with the donor’s wishes.
“Only the potential donor can consent to being placed on our database while he or she is fully compos mentis to do so,” a spokesperson said.
