Willed Body Programs, such as the one here at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Institute of Anatomical Sciences, help meet this need. The donation of bodies for education is not a new concept; families in West Texas, the Panhandle, and Eastern New Mexico have been contributing to our future generations for over 50 years. There is an increasing number of individuals making this contribution to advance education and research. Like other programs in Texas, ours is governed by the State Anatomical Board of Texas. The mission of the Anatomical Board is to facilitate the distribution of deceased human remains for the purpose of education and research. In doing so, the Board protects the interests of the donors and their families by requiring that only authorized educational and medical institutions receive human remains, and that the remains are treated with dignity and respect.
As you plan for the future, and for the future of your family, you might also consider the bigger picture. One of the most generous gifts that an individual or family can make is to donate one’s body for anatomical education and research. Willed body donation for anatomical education and research has existed for over one hundred years in Texas and has benefited countless generations. This unique gift helps students discover the complexity of the human body and become better health care providers by advancing their medical knowledge. In addition, the gift of body donation aids specialists in developing new procedures while keeping their current skills sharp, ensuring they are providing the best care for their patients.
Willed Body Program Donation Information
Please review the Willed Body Program Information Packet and frequently asked questions for additional information. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Willed Body Program only receives consented donors. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you are interested in beginning this process for yourself or a loved one.
Donating Your Body or a Loved One’s Body for Research
Individuals wishing to donate their body for research must complete the Willed Body Donation Packet. Please note that submission of this packet does not guarantee acceptance into the program, as all donors must be pre-screened and
approved by a Willed Body Program staff member.
Request a Willed Body Donation Packet by emailing wbp.lubbock@ttuhsc.edu
Please mail or email a copy of all completed documents to the Willed Body Program for file completion. We advise you to maintain a copy for your records as well.
Willed Body Donation Form Attestation Requirements
Self-Donor (prior to death):
The individual planning to donate must complete and sign the Attestation section under “Self-Donor,” with signatures from two adult witnesses.
What to expect after completing forms for self-donation:
- After review of the completed paperwork is finalized, an acknowledgment letter and donor card will be mailed.
- Please allow up to 15 days for processing
- If a funeral home is chosen to be involved at any stage, all associated costs are the responsibility of the family or estate.
- Donors may remain in our care for up to 24 months during the study.
- After studies are complete, the donor will be cremated.
- If the return of cremated remains is requested, WBP will contact the designated recipient to make arrangements.
- This service is provided at no cost to the family.
Next-of-Kin Donor (at time of death):
If death has already occurred, the legal next of kin must complete and sign the Next of Kin portion of the Attestation section, along with signatures from two adult witnesses.
Please email documents to expedite the donation.
After receipt of the completed forms, the Willed Body Program staff will correspond with you regarding acceptance, transportation arrangements and what to expect in the coming days.
In memory of those who have given of themselves so, that others may live in health and happiness.
Epitaph Honoring Our Donors
Willed Body Memorial Ceremony
Frequently Asked Questions
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Donors must be at least 18 years of age and competent to make the decision to donate. There is no maximum age limit. Registration as a donor in our Willed Body Program does not mean that the body donation is always accepted. That decision is made at the time of death at the discretion of the Willed Body Program staff. It is wise to have an alternative plan, as there are restrictions on the condition of bodies that we are able to accept.
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Yes, the Willed Body Program may decline any donor body that may not be suitable for educational purposes. There are a number of conditions that preclude us from accepting the donation, such as:
- A history of contagious disease such as hepatitis, AIDS, tuberculosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, MRSA, VRE, virulent herpes, etc.
- If organs (other than eyes) have been removed at or near the time of death, such as for organ donation and/or autopsy
- Severe obesity, extremely emaciated, jaundice, or body contractures
- Advanced decomposition of body
- Traumatic Injury such as that suffered during an automobile accident, drowning, homicide, suicide, autopsy, decomposition etc.
In the event that the Willed Body Program determines that the donor body is unusable, the next of kin will need to make alternative arrangements for the final disposition. The Willed Body Program is not responsible for any costs associated with alternative arrangements.
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If you are interested in donating your body to help educate our future health care professionals, you will first need to contact our program via email, mail, or phone and ask for the Willed Body Program donation forms. You can also download and print the forms from our website. We will provide a pack of four forms, three of which will need to be completed and mailed back to us. The Donation Form will need to be completed and signed by you and two adult witnesses. The Personal Data Sheet and Medical Assessment Questionnaire will also need to be completed and returned.
The Willed Body Program can also accept donations of deceased persons who meet the criteria and who did not register with our program prior to passing away. The next of kin may contact the Willed Body Program to initiate the donation process and they will be asked to fill out the Next of Kin Donation Forms.
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When we receive your completed and signed Donation Form as well as your completed Personal Data Sheet, we will send you a letter of acknowledgment and a donor wallet card. Please sign your card and carry it with you at all times, as it includes a statement of your intent to donate to our Willed Body Program.
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Generally, there is no cost to your family. The Willed Body Program will pay for transportation of your unprepared body if the place of death is within 300 miles of the institution. If the place of death is beyond 300 miles, the Willed Body Program will assist in referring you to another designated State Anatomical Board Willed Body Program closer to your location, or your family may elect to pay a per-mileage fee for mileage beyond the 300 miles. If the death occurs outside of a 1-hour drive from Lubbock, Texas, you or your next of kin may have to contract with a local funeral home entity to pick up and hold the body until the Willed Body Program can arrange for transportation. These arrangements and costs are not the responsibility of the Willed Body Program; they are the responsibility of the donor or the donor’s next of kin. (The Willed Body Program will advise you at the time of registration if these arrangements are necessary for your area.)
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The medical school facilitates the embalming procedure, which is performed by an individual licensed in mortuary science once the donor body is received. This is done at no cost to your family.
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No. Texas law prohibits such payments.
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It is important that we receive the body as soon as possible after death, so most families choose to have a memorial service without the body present. Additionally, the family may request to have their loved one’s ashes returned upon completion of the anatomical studies course and they may prefer to hold a service at that time. Clergy or funeral directors can easily arrange services of this type. If the family feels strongly about holding a funeral prior to the donation, the funeral director would need to contact our department first for specific embalming instructions.
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While it is not a requirement that you inform your family of your decision to donate, it is encouraged. Family members may need some time to understand this unique and generous decision so it is best to begin discussing your wishes with your family once you initially make the decision to donate. Ideally, you should inform your next of kin or the executor of your estate and provide copies of your donation paperwork. We also advise that you notify your physician, clergy and attorney of the arrangements.
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We are required by law to cremate all donors.
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The cremated remains may be returned to the next of kin if the request is made in advance. The cremated remains are returned via Priority Mail Express, return receipt requested, so it is imperative that we have a current address and phone number for you and your next of kin. In the event that the next of kin prefers not to receive the ashes or does not request the return of the ashes, the cremated remains will be buried in a shared cemetery plot.
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Yes, at any time by writing the TTUHSC Institute of Anatomical Sciences Willed Body Program and destroying your donation forms.
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At time of death, contact should be made to: 806-743-2708. It should be explained that the deceased is a registered donor with our program or that the nearest surviving relative wishes to make a donation to our Willed Body Program. The Willed Body Program staff member will verify enrollment in our donor program, screen the donor for acceptance, and provide a Next of Kin donation form if the deceased did not pre-enroll.
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Your family may choose to have your body transported (through a funeral home) to our institution at the expense of your estate within 12 hours. Alternatively, your family may choose to donate your body to a medical school located in the state in which your death occurred.
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If you carry the donor card we provide in your purse or wallet, it will be understood that you are a donor in our program. If not, your family members will need to know of your request ahead of time so they can contact our Willed Body Program.
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No, we primarily utilize our donors for Anatomical Sciences Education to ensure that our future healthcare professionals are properly trained. We cannot accept bodies to determine the cause of death or for specific disease research.
