MSU Extension: Exploring Montana Body Donation Program

For the last 41 years, Montanans have donated their bodies to the Montana Body Donation Program (MBDP). Some Montanans are motivated by the desire to make a contribution to medical education. Others donate because they want to recognize the value and importance of using bodies for educating present and future health professionals about human anatomy. These include doctors, nurses, dentists, physician’s assistants, physical therapists, and students.

Still, others donate because of their hope that knowledge will be gained to help future patients. Most donated bodies are used for teaching complex human anatomy to medical students in the WWAMI Medical Education Program at Montana State University (MSU).

Your decision to donate your body to the MBDP should be shared with your immediate family members so they are aware of your wishes. A discussion in advance will allow family members to ask questions and gain a better understanding of your desire, particularly if you are the first family member to consider a body donation.

The moral and ethical implications of a body donation may vary according to denominational and regional viewpoints. Those with religious and ethical concerns should seek guidance from authorities within their respective affiliations. Understandably, your family will be grief-stricken at your death and during this emotional time your wish to make a body donation may not be honored unless you have informed them of your desire.

Be sure you have completed the proper paperwork. By sharing information about your wishes, you are also prompting each family member to consider what method of disposition they would want upon death: body donation, cremation with a memorial or funeral service (with or without viewing) and burial.

If the next of kin or legally designated representative is aware of the donor’s wish, they can contact the MBDP or the funeral director of your choice at the time of death, or when they believe it is imminent. If the funeral home has a copy of your Declaration of Consent (DOC) form on file, they will contact the MBDP. If there is no DOC on file, the funeral director may mention body donation as a possibility for the family if there is a desire to contribute to medical education or if the cost of burial or cremation is a concern.

A representative of the MBDP will provide the funeral director with specific instructions about the care of the body for donation purposes. In some circumstances, the physician, hospice staff, coroner, physician’s assistant, or nurse may ask a family member whether the deceased wanted to donate their body. If the deceased’s wish is to donate their body to MBDP, one of those professionals may contact the MBDP. The MBDP can be reached at 406-599-0572 at any time of day.

Whether to donate your body for medical teaching is one of many decisions for you to consider during the estate planning process. Information about the Montana Body Donation program is available in an MSU Extension MontGuide. The fact sheet is available at the MSU Extension Madison-Jefferson County Office. Call 406-287-3282 or download it here https://store.msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/mt201804HR.pdf.

This is part of monthly series of articles focusing on estate and legacy planning. Authors are Kaleena Miller, Madison-Jefferson County Extension Agent, kaleena.miller1@montana.edu, and Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension Family Economics Specialist, goetting@montana.edu.