Instructions to the Persons Interested in Donating Their Bodies
- Two copies of the dedication form should be signed in the presence of two witnesses. Since properly completed dedication forms have legal status, a formal will is not required.
- One original dedication form should be forwarded to: Anatomical Board of the State of Florida, University of Florida College of Medicine, P.O. Box 100235, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0235. The other copy should be retained by the dedicator and placed in his or her personal files.
- Copies of the “Instructions to Survivors..” should be given to relatives, close friends, or to whomever will be in charge of final arrangements. In this way, those concerned will know of the dedicator’s wishes and will be in a better position to carry them out.
- Although not essential, it will save your relatives the necessity of doing so if you make arrangements now with a funeral director in your vicinity. The funeral home director should be informed of your plan to dedicate your body to the Anatomical Board and instructed as to what his responsibilities will be (see Instructions to Survivors..).
- The Anatomical Board is not able to remove and store tissues for eye banks or other agencies which collect tissues from recently deceased persons for transplantation to living persons. If you are interested in such procedures, you should discuss the possibilities with your physician.
- Ordinarily after being used in education and research, the body will be cremated pursuant to Florida Statutes 497.005.
- If the survivors wish to receive the ashes after cremation, an Ashes Requested form needs to be completed. Ashes can only be returned to a funeral home.
- If no request has been received, the Anatomical Board will take responsibility for disposing of the cremains by spreading them over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
- If cremation is not desired, the Anatomical Board should be notified at the time of transportation. The body can be turned over to a funeral home for such burial as the family may specify. Burial by a funeral home will be at the expense of the family.
- If you wish further information about these procedures, please contact us.
