UTN is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Donate My Body to Science in Palm Bay, FL

Are you an organ donor? If so, you might think that’s the same as being a whole body donor. Alternatively, you might think that being an organ donor excludes you from being a whole body donor as well. In truth, both of these myths about whole body donation in Palm Bay, FL, are categorically wrong.

Misunderstandings like these are one of the reasons human tissue is so badly needed by medical students and researchers. Without it, they aren’t able to practice delicate surgical techniques or test potentially life-saving medicines and technologies.

United Tissue Network is a nonprofit organization founded with the goal of helping people from many different ages, backgrounds, and health situations become whole body donors. If you’ve ever thought about registering to donate your body to science in Palm Bay, FL, contact us today. We can help you make the right decision for you.

Four doctors placing their hands together while standing in a circle

How to Donate Your Body to Science in Palm Bay, FL

Here at UTN, we strive to make whole body donation as simple and stress-free as possible. That’s why we use the triple-tiered S.E.T. system. Want to learn more about how donating your body to science works? Here’s the rundown:

  • Self-Registration
  • End-of-Life
  • Time-of-Passing

Each tier in the S.E.T. system represents a different way someone can become a whole body donor, regardless of their current medical circumstances.

Self-Registration occurs when a person in relatively good health contacts UTN in order to plan for their future. We then provide the potential donor with some simple paperwork, after which they are issued a Donor Identification Card confirming their registration.

End-of-life passing occurs when a person has been entered into hospice care and/or received a prognosis of six months or less. They or a legally authorized representative would contact UTN and, pending preapproval, we would issue a Donor Security Certificate. This is our promise to you that we will accept the donor’s remains regardless of any subsequent changes to their medical history.

Time-of-passing registration occurs when a person has already died without registering to become a donor. In these situations, their legal next of kin would have to contact UTN to provide consent for us to take the remains for donation.

Whole Body Donation as a Funeral Alternative in Palm Bay, FL

Now that you know how to become a whole body donor, the other question is “why.” What makes whole body donation better than other funeral alternatives in Palm Bay, FL?

Well, in addition to the positive impact donors make by contributing much-needed resources to the medical community, there’s also the fact that whole body donation is environmentally friendly. Considering that burial space is in increasingly short supply, and considering also the toxicity of embalming chemicals that are introduced into the soil during burial, whole body donation represents a better, more ecologically sustainable option.

There’s also the fact that a lot of planning is required for traditional funerals. Burial plots, headstone and casket selection, mortuary services, memorial services, floral arrangements; the list goes on and on.

Choosing to simply donate your body to science in Palm Bay, FL is a good way of preventing your loved ones from having to shoulder that kind of needless burden. Upon the donor’s passing, UTN will cover everything, from storage, handling, and transportation to documentation and death certification.

A doctor putting his hand on a female patient’s shoulder]

Comparing Donation to the Cost of Cremation in Palm Bay, FL

In addition to acting as an alternative to traditional burials, whole body donation also works as a replacement for cremation. While cremation is often cheaper and easier than burial, the average cost of cremation in Palm Bay, FL is still around $2,500.

Bodies donated to science through UTN, meanwhile, are automatically cremated at a licensed local crematorium upon program completion. The donor’s friends and family then have the choice of having the ashes returned to them or scattered into the oceans as part of the UTN Memorial Program.

Both of these options are available at no cost.

UTN Makes Whole Body Donation in Palm Bay, FL Easy

Thanks to United Tissue Network’s S.E.T system, donating your body to science has never been easier.

There are many reasons to consider becoming a donor. Whatever reason you choose, you deserve to know that you’re in good hands. As an AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks) accredited organization, you can rest easy knowing that UTN rises to the highest standards of responsible tissue handling and patient privacy.

Contact us today to pledge yourself or register a loved one.

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