Whole Body Donation by State:
The 19 States Genesis Serves

Choosing whole body donation is a personal decision, and one of the first questions families ask is simple: does the program serve my state? Find your state below to see how MERI’s Genesis program works where you live.

Find your state Talk with Genesis

Find your state

Genesis serves families in 19 states. MERI’s facility is in Memphis, Tennessee, and nowhere else. When a donor is accepted, Genesis arranges transport from within the donor’s state to Memphis. Pages for individual states are rolling out, and every state below is served the same way.

  • State page available
  • Served, page coming soon
  • Temporarily not accepting

How Genesis works in every state

Whether you live in Oklahoma or Ohio, the steps are the same.

  1. Step 1

    Pre-register with the Genesis donor forms, or a legal authorizing party begins at the time of passing.

  2. Step 2

    At the time of passing, your family calls Genesis. A real person answers and explains the next steps.

  3. Step 3

    For eligible donors, Genesis arranges transport to MERI in Memphis and files the death certificate.

  4. Step 4

    After about 6 to 12 months of medical training, cremated remains are returned to your family or a Memphis-area mausoleum.

Who qualifies

Two things shape who qualifies. First, location: Genesis cannot accept a donor who has moved to or passed away in a state outside its service area. Second, medical suitability at the time of death. There is no strict upper age limit; what matters is the donor’s condition at the time of death rather than a number.

Because acceptance is decided at that time, no one can promise it in advance. Read our step-by-step guide to pre-registering.

No-cost cremation for eligible donors

For eligible donors accepted into Genesis, transportation, the death certificate and cremation are covered at no cost to the family. We encourage every family to keep a backup plan, such as arranging direct cremation in case donation cannot proceed.

How Genesis works

Frequently asked questions

Genesis serves families in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Texas is currently under a moratorium.

No. MERI’s facility is in Memphis, Tennessee. Genesis arranges transport from within your state to Memphis.

Not at this time. Texas is under a moratorium, and Genesis is not accepting new donors from Texas. Our Texas anatomical-donation notice explains the situation.

Please contact MERI and ask. Genesis cannot accept donors from outside its service area, so options may be limited. Whatever you decide, keep a backup plan in place.

Talk with the Genesis team

When you are ready, our Genesis team can help you find your state and talk through the forms at your own pace. Call (901) 278-7841 or (877) 288-4483.

Contact MERI