Donating Body to Medicine....too thrifty?

A question about : Donating Body to Medicine....too thrifty?

I want to save my son the expense of a funeral so I've decided I'd like to donate my body to medical science after I pass on. I haven't mentioned it to him yet but I will be letting him know before I put it into my will just so it doesn't come as a shock.

My parents did the same thing but without warning the family which caused a lot of upset at first, but I couldn't fault them on their decision as they were always very thrifty when they were alive and they would have wanted their bodies to help in some way toward training the next generation of doctors.

My question is, is this a step too far in the name of thrift?

I'd like a few opinions before I 'carve it in stone', I can't discuss this with my remaining family as the issue has never really been resolved. It was the shock I think, not knowing what they had decided without be informed beforehand.
This won't be the case if I go through with it, my son will know (hopefully) many years before I shuffle off the mortal coil.

Best answers:

• How did your son react when he found out about your parents wishes? And how did he feel afterwards?
• He never knew them really, they moved to Scotland when he was a tot to live closer to my sister (she was rather fragile at the time and they loved it up there). They were only a photo to him really, he's a man of few words at best and didn't seem to really bothered.
• This has caused a big upset in my family too, a lot of it could have been avoided if it was talked about properly, chat to your Son first
• I do believe that the family have to arrange to get the body to the final location, as opposed to it being picked up. Also if the person has something like MRSA then they will refuse to take the body.
• Talk to individual medical schools to see how it works. You can't just 'put it in your will' it has to be arranged beforehand.
  The one my relative has donated his body to take care of all the expenses and the transport and hold a lovely memorial service every year as a thank you to the people who've donated that year.
  As someone who has benefitted in my education from the kindness of people who have donated their bodies I actually think its a wonderful thing to do and the bodies are treated with the utmost respect and strict regulations.
  Of course, discussing it with family is essential.
• Thank you all for your replies, I'll have the details worked out with my solicitor and make sure it all goes to plan when it comes about.
  I'm just glad to see that it's not a totally alien idea, the way some of the family reacted was shocking when it happened with my parents. It might have been the 'double whammy' of their passing then finding out their wishes.
  Now to bring up the subject after a nice dinner
  Thanks again!
• I have heard that most medical schools are very choosy in what they accept, they don't just take any body so to say, if you are serious then research it and then put it in your will.
• As a former Funeral Director this used to come up a lot.
  Very few bodies are accepted for medical research. Very few. And even with an arrangement in place, they are often rejected after death.
  It is a genuinely good thing to do but you have to start discussions with the research centres now. They are often inundated with requests and will have specific requirements to meet.
• Newcastle University Medical school accepts cadavers as they still use cadavic teaching methods for med students. Depends when you die though as they are unindated during the winter months.
• It would be good to have a backup funeral fund in a separate savings account, because as others have said the medical schools have strict rules about accepting bodies, and may not be able to take yours if you die at the wrong age / from the wrong thing / at a time when they are full. I am sure they will explain the rules when you contact them to make arrangements.
• I'd gladly offer my body, any parts that could be recycled and then the rest for medical students to practise on. Not particularly as a money saving thing but simply 'cos i'll have finished using it and i don't like wasting anything that could be of use.
  My Mum had signed a donor card and after she died i pointed out that she wanted her body to go to whoever could benefit from it, but 'cos she had been dead a couple of days when we found her they said it was to late.