Donate Your Body to Science: UNE’s Body Donor Program
Your decision to donate your body to science is a lasting legacy that will benefit countless future patients and medical professionals. The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) body donor program enables you to contribute to the advancement of medical education and research and provides a compassionate and structured process for those wishing to make this generous gift. Thank you for considering this noble contribution.
Why Donate Your Body to Science?
Your donation plays a vital role in educating medical students and advancing health care research. Whole body donation enables future physicians and health care professionals to gain essential hands-on experience, fostering a deeper understanding of human anatomy and medical procedures. Your decision to donate can lead to breakthroughs in medical treatments and improved patient care.
UNE COM covers all expenses related to the donation process, including transportation and cremation, alleviating financial burdens on families.
How Do I Donate My Body to Science?
Most individuals are eligible for body donation. Full or part-time Maine residents are welcome to apply to UNE COM’s Anatomical Body Donor Program. We encourage you to review the eligibility criteria outlined in the Anatomical Donor Application (PDF) or contact Jannika Coons at (207) 602-2202.
To participate in UNE COM’s body donor program:
- The first step to becoming an anatomical donor at the University of New England is to complete our application. Any adult (age 18+) of sound mind can choose to donate their remains to medical science. UNE does not accept power of attorney, next-of-kin, guardian, or conservator signatures on behalf of potential anatomical donors.
- Informing Loved Ones: It’s crucial to discuss your decision with family members or legal representatives to ensure they are aware of your intentions.
- Upon Passing: At the time of death, your designated representative should contact Hope Memorial Chapel, our partnering funeral home, at (207) 282-6300.
Annual Body Donor Memorial Services
An annual, non-denominational memorial service honoring donors’ invaluable contributions to medical education is held in the fall.
After anatomical donors’ studies have been completed, the legal next-of-kin will receive a formal invitation to the memorial service. Family members are welcome to extend that invite to whomever and however many people they would like. Though somber, UNE strives to make this event inclusive and family friendly.
For those who are unable to attend in person, a video of the service is made available for a limited time.
FAQ About the Body Donor Program
How will my body be used?
Your whole body donation is an essential part of UNE’s medical training program. The dissection and study of body donors provide our students with an unparalleled understanding of the human body that will aid them throughout their careers. These anatomical donations, in addition to educational coursework, are also utilized in the development of novel surgical approaches, student-led research initiatives, and the advancement of clinical techniques for better patient outcomes and an increased quality of life.
How will my body be transported to the University of New England?
At the time of an anatomical donor’s death, the legal next-of-kin or other person attending their death must report the passing to a medical authority. If the death occurs at home, emergency services should be contacted. Once death is established, notify Hope Memorial Chapel, which administers UNE’s Anatomical Donor Program.
Hope Memorial Chapel
480 Elm St.
Biddeford, ME 04005
(207) 282-6300
Hope Memorial Chapel can be reached at all times, whether during business hours or at night, on weekends, and during holidays, for immediate action. They will arrange for transportation of the anatomical donor to their facility and subsequently to UNE COM.
Instructions on how and where to receive death certificates will be furnished by the funeral home.
UNE does not supply copies of the death certificate.
What if I die outside of Maine?
UNE’s Anatomical Donor Program cannot accept anatomical donors from out-of-state locations, even if they are already enrolled in the program.
If you regularly travel to other parts of the United States, we encourage you to also join a body donation program in that area.
Do certain conditions prevent my donation?
There is no age limit for body donation. However, certain medical conditions or circumstances may preclude acceptance.
A body that is significantly overweight or underweight is unsuitable for anatomical study; therefore, anatomical donors must fit within specific body mass index (BMI) restrictions at the time of death. Anatomical donors with a BMI of less than 19 or greater than 31 will not be enrolled in the Anatomical Donor Program.
Contagious disease, including bloodborne/airborne infections that remain active in the body after death, will prevent acceptance into the body donor program, including: HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, COVID-19, MRSA, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Extensive unhealed trauma to the body before or at the time of death or advanced decomposition would also exclude the anatomical donor from the program because the body is unsuitable for anatomical study.
Anatomical donors who have passed away under suspicious or otherwise unnatural circumstances and are being held for investigation by the medical examiner (coroner’s) office are also unacceptable for anatomical donation.
UNE also cannot accept bodies that have undergone organ or tissue harvest (except cornea), those who are missing major organs or multiple limbs, or bodies on which an autopsy has been performed.
If you have specific questions related to your medical history and how it may impact an anatomical donation, please contact us at (207) 602-2202.
What happens to my body after its use?
Medical study of the body can take from one to four years. When the study is finished, the anatomical donors will be cremated, and their legal next-of-kin will be contacted to confirm plans for return of the remains. When the donor forms are completed, the wishes of the anatomical donor must be indicated, including future contact information for the legal next-of-kin or executor. When the anatomical donor comes into the program, it is vital for the family to remain in contact with the Anatomical Donor Program to ensure their family member’s remains are returned or if they wish to change the documented arrangements of the anatomical donor.
All cremated remains are furnished in the temporary container provided by the crematory. UNE does not provide an urn.
Is there a cost associated with donating my body to science?
There is no cost to participate in UNE’s anatomical body donor program, nor is there any financial incentive to do so. By Maine law, no payment may be made with respect to anatomical donation. UNE is responsible for all costs related to this program, including transportation, embalming, cremation of the anatomical donor, and the return of the cremated remains.
Enrollment in the anatomical donor program does not impact any death benefits or insurance policies that surviving family members may be entitled to. This includes life insurance, funeral or burial policies, social security death benefits, and veteran death benefits.
What if I change my mind?
Body donors can withdraw from the program at any point and for any reason, no questions asked. If you would like to remove yourself from the anatomical donation registry, please call us at (207) 602-2202, or write us at:
University of New England
Anatomical Donor Program
716 Stevens Ave
Portland, ME 04103
How will my family know my wishes?
The anatomical donor application is a legal document, and must be completed in full to be considered valid. Notarization is not required, but the relevant forms must be signed in the presence of two people (18+, preferably not related to the donor) and the applicant's legal next-of-kin. These signatures must be physical (in ink, not electronic). Applicants with disabilities that prevent them from physically signing should contact our office to discuss alternative methods.
While the Uniform Gift Act allows individuals to gift their body without the consent of their next-of-kin, UNE strongly urges prospective anatomical donors to discuss their intentions with their family. UNE will refuse any gift where there is a strong objection from the family.
If you would like to apply, but do not have a legal next-of-kin to support your end-of-life wishes, you can contact an estate attorney to act as your executor. If an attorney presents too great a financial burden, a free or sliding-scale service like Legal Services for Maine Elders may be able to help.
Should I make alternative arrangements?
Upon successful completion of the enrollment process, anatomical donors will receive conditional acceptance into the program, barring unforeseen circumstances at the time of death. Final acceptance will be determined at the time of the anatomical donor’s death.
While UNE does its best to honor all anatomical gifts, there are rare occasions when the cause of death prevents us from doing so. For this reason, it is important to note that the final acceptance of anatomical donations is evaluated at the time of death. This determination is contingent upon the needs of the University. Anatomical donors must have alternative arrangements in place should UNE be unable to accept their gift at the time of death.
Contact Us
For more information about donating your body to science through UNE COM’s body donor program, contact our office at (207) 602-2202.