Full Body Donation Program at MERI: Honoring Life, Advancing Knowledge

Mother and daughter

Honoring Life,
Advancing Knowledge.

She already gets her eyes, sense of humor, and adventurous spirit from you. Why not leave her a legacy of service as well, with the ultimate gift that will benefit medical science for her, her children, and beyond.
Download Donor Form

Why Choose Body Donation

Legacy

 

By taking part in groundbreaking medical training and research, even after passing away, you have the opportunity to make a significant and enduring impact on the lives of millions of people, providing them with a greater chance for a better life

Financial

 

At no expense to your family, Genesis provides transportation, a death certificate, and cremation services. The Genesis program offers a dignified and honorable alternative for families who may either be financially drained or opposed to traditional, costly funerals.

Environmental Responsibility

 

Ashes are returned to your loved ones or interred in a mausoleum in the Memphis area, avoiding the ecological burden of a typical burial.

Peace of Mind

 

During their time with us, donors are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. At MERI, each donor is regarded as a living patient for every medical training procedure performed. MERI holds accreditation from the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and is licensed by the New York State Department of Health.

How Do I Become a Donor?

 

To pre-register for our whole-body donation program, you have the option to complete the donor forms ahead of time, or in the event of your passing, a legal authorizing party may utilize the Third-Party Authorization form included in the donor packet linked above to arrange for donation.

01

Complete the donor registration forms.

02

Inform your family or legal authorizing party to contact Genesis at time of death.

03

Upon notification, Genesis provides transportation of the donor to the MERI and files appropriate paperwork including death certificates.

04

Donor participates in medical education, training, and research for 6-12 months.

05

Cremated remains are returned to a loved one or interred in a mausoleum in the Memphis area.

What Happens

 

The Medical Education and Research Institute (MERI) in Memphis, TN is the non-profit organization that supports the Genesis Whole Body Donation Program. Donors make critical education and training possible through their selfless and generous gift for physicians, surgeons, nurses, EMTs, and other medical professionals from around the world. These professionals come to the MERI to gain invaluable hands-on experience in the latest medical techniques and technologies, taking this newfound knowledge back to their patients.

Donor Requirements

 

Acceptance is contingent on each donor’s medical suitability at the time of death. MERI’s Board, staff, faculty, students and researchers appreciate all who generously plan and hope to become anatomic donors. These gifts allow for the continuous improvement of patient care.

MERI must limit its acceptance of anatomic donors to those donors who at the time of death can be “good teachers,” free of infectious diseases that could harm the learner. Additionally, the donor’s physical condition must be suitable to create a safe, high-quality learning experience.

We cannot accept a donor who has moved to or passed away in a state that is not within the Genesis service area.

Donor Registration Forms

 

To submit your door registration forms, please complete the following steps:

01

Download the Genesis Donor Forms. (You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to open this type of file.)

02

Complete the forms online and then print OR print first and complete neatly by hand.

03

The completed forms MUST be hand signed by the donor and two (2) witnesses.

04

Mail the completed and signed Donor Forms packet to:

Genesis Whole Body Donation Program
Medical Education & Research Institute
44 South Cleveland
Memphis, TN 38104

 

Forms can also be mailed to you to complete and return. Please click here to be directed to our online request form

Learn More About Whole Body Donation

 

The Genesis Donation Process

You may pre-sign into the program by filling out the donor forms available here, or at the time of death, a legal authorizing party may arrange for the donation using the Third Party Authorization form in the donor packet linked above.

01
Complete and submit Donor Registration Forms. (A legal authorizing party may arrange for the donation as well)
02
Inform your family/legal authorizing party to contact Genesis at time of death
03
When notified, Genesis will provide transportation of the donor to the MERI
04
MERI will fill all appropriate paperwork including death certificate
05
Within 6 weeks the legal authorizing party will receive a single copy of the death certificate
06
Each donor will spend 6-12 months at the MERI.
07
Once the donor has completed their time, the MERI will have each donor cremated.
08
Upon cremation of the donor, the cremated remains may be returned to the person designated by the donor, or the donor’s cremated remains can be interred in a mausoleum in the Memphis, TN area.

Testimonials

My husband's life mission was to help his fellow man, and how with the help of the MERI, he continues to help others. When my time comes, I will follow my husband's example.
Leigh Walden
Genesis Donor Family
MERI is a wonderful place. They treated my husband with so much respect, as well as my family and I.
Janice Ward
Genesis Donor Family
Being a MERI donor is a very rewarding experience. It will enable me to offer a priceless service to mankind that has fulfilled a lifelong wish of mine... It is a miracle.
Louise Bizub
Genesis Pre-Registered Donor
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