“My wife was a rock solid Christian and was a giver all of her life. In the last months of the disease (mylodisplastic syndrome MDS) she stated that she wanted to continue to give by giving her body to science so that they may possibly find something to help others. She was very active in the ministry in designing web site for christian ministries at little or no charge to them and she is sorely missed in this field. Also as a part our ministry she dressed in Biblical robes and read scripture as I did the potters story with a potters wheel and clay. We traveled all over the U.S. and Mexico winning souls for Christ. She also ministered with hand building with clay. She was an ordained minister with Full Gospel Churches International and loved and admired by all who knew her, she will be missed by all who met her.”-Terry V.
“It’s an honor to tell you my father’s story. He decided to donate his body years before he passed. He had lung cancer that had spread to the liver and beyond. When we found out he lived for 26 days. He had waited to tell me how sick he was for along time. I will just be honest and tell you one of the main reasons he decided to donate is because he just didn’t like or understand the whole funeral thing. He joked that he didn’t want to be the only one there. He was a hard man with a great sense of humor! I miss him everyday. I didn’t realize he was my best friend until I was no longer able to call him with a problem. I also believe that he had his own private reasons for donation. I think he thought it would do good for others and make his life have more meaning. I know too that it was a gift for me. He did not want to cry around and be sad. My son and I just had another conversation about it last night, confirming to each other that we want to do the same. We believe the spirit leaves the body upon death. It makes perfect sense to us to leave a gift for not only science but to each other also. There will be no funeral only a celebration of our lives! Thank you so much!” -Stephanie B.
“My mother was an amazing lady. She donated platelets as often as she could for 18 years. She fostered many sick and injured cats and dogs for the Humane Society. She donated monthly to many worthwhile charities. She and I had spoken often about her end of life plans, she wanted to donate her organs to help as many as possible. Unfortunately, at the end, the cancer had spread through her body. I know she and I hope that some cure can be found by her final donation. In loving memory forever.” -Ericka S.
“Our beloved mother, including her late husband (our step-father), had both decided to contribute their bodies to science. Both had plots available and paid for, prior to them finding out about how much more they could serve and assist science, as well as the medical world in finding medical solutions and/or cures. Our mom, as a Christian, knew that the body is only a vessel that God gave us while on this earth. And the donation of her body to help and assist others, is only the final part of the giving that she did thru-out her life. We love you mom!” -Monica / CJ / Darin / Troit
“My husband, passed away due to complications from multiple sclerosis in July. He had suffered with this disease for over 30 years. The last 2 1/2 years were spent in a nursing home because his mobility was severely limited. We discussed cremation and other options but he wanted his life to count for something so it was his decision to donate his body for research and training. He said that he hoped his brain would be examined and that a possible step closer to a cure would result. He fought the good fight and at the end we were treated with great respect and empathy. Thank you for this service.” -Jennie
“My mother was a very caring woman full of energy and had love and an open hand to lend to anyone, even strangers. God was her first love, then her family and all the ministry work she did. Even when she was sick she was out there helping others, she never complained once about being sick or hurting.” –Tiffany G.
“My mom was a fun loving, caring and giving woman. She embroidered blankets for The Linus Group, which gives blankets to babies and children in need and also gives to the Indian reservations. That was my mom’s passion. She loved to play games like Scrabble, Yahtzee, Dominoes, Rummy and Monopoly. She loved to go to auctions and thrift stores. Mom had been through hell and back. She was a survivor of breast cancer. She had it in 1991 and had a mastectomy with no chemo or radiation, was cancer free. She had two open heart surgeries and lots of other surgeries. The worst was when my family was in a car wreck on my mom and dad’s wedding anniversary in September. My sister was alive at the scene but after they took the steering wheel off she died, my nephew was ok just had bruises, mom was in terrible shape. She was in the hospital and nursing home all together for about 5 months. She was told she would never walk again, but mom, the tough lady she was, did walk. That was over 9 years ago. She wanted to donate her whole body because she wanted to help people even in death. She thought maybe they could find a cure for some disease or just help people with her body and maybe they could learn new things. My mom’s death was a shock. She went in for an angiogram and went into respiratory failure. They put her on a ventilator and she was coherent and we thought she would come out of the hospital soon. She was also on dialysis too. So the combination of taking her off the ventilator and dialysis she ended up throwing a blood clot which perforated her bowl and she went into septic shock and her organs shut down, there was no hope. She had an awesome, caring doctor, he was so spiritual and mom died with dignity in February. Thank you for letting me share my mom with you.” –Rachelle M.
“My brother had a bad car wreck when he was 17; wasn’t expected to live. Even though he survived the wreck it just seemed like he was always sick or stricken with something for the remaining 47 years of his life. I saw him suffer a majority of his life. He was hospitalized so many times I lost count. Then in the last couple of years he was diagnosed with MS in which he could hardly speak and was bed ridden. I know he was miserable and suffering so if this research can help anyone not go through what I saw him go through I know he would want that. He is at peace now and no long suffering.” –Terri M.
“She was our beloved mother, our provider, our teacher. Occasionally she was our most fearsome foe but always our most loyal friend. Her beginnings were meager, a child of Depression-era West Texas hardscrabble and no stranger to financial hardship, harder work, firm Christian beliefs and simple joys sung to the tune of huge laughter. One of her favorite sayings among a million was “Waste not, want not.” Therefore we were not surprised that she made her final earthly decision one that adhered to this same motto. As she approached the end of her days she would sometimes remark that it did not make sense to be buried in the clay if there was any possibility that some physical portion of who she had become could be used toward the advancement of science and the business of improving and saving lives. There are so many things that we could say about our mother, all of them good and true. On her behalf, we are glad to be able to thank you for giving mama, who we will love and miss forever, the opportunity to leave just as she had lived – by wasting not.” –Sherry L.
“My mother was an amazing woman. She cared about people throughout her life. She always put others before herself. Mom suffered from multiple medical conditions which resulted in a hard life for her over the last several years. Whether it was dealing with diabetes or Alzheimer’s we had talked about the desire for more medical research done to help. Being able to donate her body to medical research allowed mom to help others even in her own death. It was her one last way of putting others before herself. Watching her go through her ups and downs was the hardest thing our family has ever done. Knowing that with her donation hopefully soon other families will not have to go through what we did makes the process somewhat easier.” -Mitzi G.