JOHN GILLARD’S FINAL GIFT. COULD YOU DO IT?
Do you care what happens to your body after death?
This morning it was announced that Julia Gillard’s late father’s body is being donated to science.
There will be no formal funeral for John Gillard (pictured right), who died on Saturday aged 83, but a private gathering, and anyone wishing to honour his memory is asked to make donations to his favourite charity, Medecins San Frontieres.
“John was a humble man who always sought to help others,” his funeral notice in the Adelaide Advertiser says. “He died as he lived and has donated his body to science and requested that there should be no formal funeral service.”
It’s a beautiful, pragmatic parting gift. Could you do it?
Donating your body to science means that your corpse – if you have died of natural causes – will be used by a university anatomy department to teach students the workings of the body.
It will be embalmed to stop it decomposing, refrigerated for some time while the body proteins settle, and also undergoes a series of chemical processes to preserve the tissues.
When it comes to be used to anatomy classes, there will be prodding, and sawing through bones, the stripping of skin to observe muscles, and rummaging in the body cavity so that students get the feel for real organs in a real body.
Each body part will be tagged to identify it, and after the body has been used for study, the remains can be cremated and the ashes returned to the family. In some cases the remains can be returned for burial.
The length of time the corpse remains with the hospital vary, but it may be some years.
There’s no doubt it’s a brutal and confronting process, but does it matter to a corpse?
Is the body merely a shell after death?
What do you think?
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43 Responses to this article
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The Huntress September 12, 2012
I am absolutely donating my body to science when I die and I believe that’s my husbands wishes too. We are both heavily involved in science and know the value of a donated body – which is priceless, going towards the education of our health students and contributing to a growing body of research.
If you can’t donate your organs, please consider donating your body to science. The benefits will be seen by medical science and the people who benefit forever.
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Joanne September 12, 2012
I have told my kids that if they dare spend money on my funeral I will come back and haunt them,,,, it is the biggest waste of money ever. People getting rich from peoples death, what is it all about,,,,, my body is just a shell, when your dead your dead, I think we should be able to do as the vikings did, put me on a raft set it out to sea, and set it on fire, its good for the environment feeds the fish and no rotting flesh leaking into the ground water,,,,, YES just give my body to science my memory is in my loved ones minds and hearts, spend the money on a celebration of my life.
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MichelleP September 12, 2012
I cried when I heard this on the radio this morning. What a lovely, remarkable gift John Gillard has given to science…and to students…once again confirming his belief that education is so so important.
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Kath September 12, 2012
Wow! To be honest, I’d never really thought about it as an option. What a very unselfish thing to do.
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susan stanford September 12, 2012
I My husband and I have donted our bodies to science,we like to think the ‘old suitcases’ that are left may continue to make some contribution to science and education.
We have told our children, (a little surprised at first ) and they know where the relevant documents are filed -
Julie September 12, 2012
What a delightful unselfish gentleman Mr Gillard must have been. No wonder his daughter was so proud of him – and he of her.
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WrappingUp Com September 12, 2012
If you are curious to know more on this topic, including donating body parts rather than the whole body, you can find free information and links to organisations in your area at wrappingup.com. Why not follow the links to register your bequest – it makes it a lot simpler for your family.
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Lilly September 12, 2012
I have never thought about this as an option either. Wow, what an amazing man and hopefully he will inspire many of us to do the same. Bravo!
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Michelle September 12, 2012
I have a son studying first year nutrition & hadn’t considered this at all until he came home after his first anatomy class telling us all about it.
Unselfish indeed, am a registered organ donor also but what a great idea! I was planning cremation anyway… -
sam September 12, 2012
I am happy for all my organs to be harvested, but I know it is silly but I couldn’t bear the thought of a whole lot of medical students poring over my body.
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Lynne September 12, 2012
Certainly very telling about the family environment our Prime Minister grew up in…and consequently the values that inform her leadership.
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Bern September 12, 2012
This is something I have thought of doing but hesitate due to the comments by a friend who was a medical student and was horrified by the way cadavers were treated by students and medical faculties when she was training. Mind you that was a long time ago. I must get on and research the current situation with a view to donating when I pass.
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Delli September 12, 2012
Love it! My mum is a mock patient for the university my sister lectures at – she receives the details of a character who has a condition she’s experienced in real life (eg she gets the respiratory, arthritis and old-lady problems) and a few weeks later helps medical students with their consultation and diagnostic skills.
Last year she announced to us that she’d decided to donate her body to the uni and that they’re happy for her to donate her organs (they’d get the rest) and I’m so proud.
I believe you’re body is just the fleshy container the person came in; once they die they’re in our memory (or heaven, if you’re religious) and the jar can be recycled.
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Lyn September 12, 2012
I have a son in the 2nd year of his medicine course. The bodies are treated with utmost respect and are invaluable to the students as they are in short supply. Having said that I’m not sure if I could donate my body to research and I’m not sure why. I have no problem with donating my organs.
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ashlee September 12, 2012
I would consider it definitely … it would be a way to further protect my family after I pass by helping to teach the next generation of doctors.
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Carly Findlay September 12, 2012
Yes! I want my workin organs donated if I die on a respirator, and I want my body donated to science so they can research my skin condition to help future generations. I already donate my body to science when I go to the hospital and assist young dermatologists with their exams, and I give speeches to various departments. What will I do with my body when I don’t need it?
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stella burnell September 12, 2012
What a generous man John Gillard was – an inspiration to the rest of us. No wonder Julia grew up with such good values. I admire her family for honouring his wishes in this way. This has made me think about this option too. Thanks for making us all more aware of this subject.
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anne September 12, 2012
I had heard that universities in Sydney have no need for cadavers. Am I misinformed (on this matter!) ? They can have mine – bit of a challenge for them.
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JJ September 12, 2012
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Wendy Green September 12, 2012
One thing overlooked here, I believe, is that although funerals are hard to cope with, they are a very necessary part of the grieving process. Funerals are actually for the living, who stay behind, not the dead, who have moved on to greener pastures.
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Ro. Watson September 12, 2012
We are more than our bodies~ but whilst alive how wonderful to share. Meanwhile, as a smoker, I have noticed a lot of the health warnings on my tobacco have photographs of organs such as damaged brain or lungs to warn people off~just wondering who gave permission for each of these pictures?
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Angela September 12, 2012
My Dad died almost 3 years ago. He was 83 and Lewy bodies dementia and it would have been great if we had been able to learn more about this from donating his body – but we had made arrangements. So, my Mum has gone through the process and her body will be donated when she dies – and she has made sure all of us know this. I think it is a very important choice and one that more people should consider – along with organ donation.
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Daphne Alaksa September 12, 2012
My family was informed years ago that I wished to donate my body to science if they wish to have it. My husband doesn’t quite get it, but my kids do. I’ve also made it clear that if my body isn’t donated to science then I wish to be cremated. If I die before the light of my life I suspect that I may end up in a burial plot. However I have to say that none of this is of extreme importance to me. Just as long as there is no severe food shortage at the time and I don’t end up on somebody’s dinner table. Cheers.
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Delli September 12, 2012
If it wasn’t for the fact it’s probably illegal, I wouldn’t care if I did end up on the dinner table – I won’t be around to object and someone else would receive benefit from my body.
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Megan September 12, 2012
I hope to do this when I die as well as being an organ donor as I think it’s the greatest gift you can give. As a future medical student, I would like to see this considered as an option just as organ donation is. It needs to be spoken about more and family members must be made aware of your wishes.
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Kris September 12, 2012
That is a wonderful story. It’s a good thing and it isn’t talked about enough. There is also the option of donating your body to art.
http://www.nickveasey.com/ – Veasey did a great TED Talk where he talks about Frieda who gave her body to art. He uses her in his x-ray work.
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Wendy Harmer September 12, 2012
Dunno about this one… I am planning to leave a corpse that would so be hazardous to humans it will need a Hazchem sign on it and can only be approached with long handled tongs. I’m well on the way to achieving this. But sounds like John Gillard was a truly marvellous bloke.
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Benison O'Reilly September 12, 2012
Oh, you made me laugh! Have fun doing it. ( Is there any doubt?)
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MichelleP September 13, 2012
Wendy – I am sure there are still things they could learn from your poorly maintained hazardous corpse
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Me September 12, 2012
I am a registered organ donor – I wonder if they would consider having a ‘body donor’ option or if there already is one. Either way, the world can take what it wants when I am done. Will save $ on funeral costs and my family can have a memorial if they need a grieving ceremony.
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J.L G September 12, 2012
The more I think about giving my body to science, the more I like it . I feel there may be a lot of interest now ,with the news of Mr Gillard and his generous donation.
this can only make our future Doctors better equipped
Bravo to the the Gillard family . -
Carolyn September 12, 2012
Yes, a wonderful gift by Mr Gillard to medical science. What a shame his daughter doesn’t have the same regard for EDUCATION! I site the Gonski report as a prime example, which cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands and has been virtually ignored by Gillard and her cronies in power!
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Benison O'Reilly September 12, 2012
I think you mean ‘cite’ Carolyn.
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Carolyn September 12, 2012
Thanks for that Benison! I get careless when I get mad!
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Super Sexy Man September 12, 2012
I’m leaving my body to science fiction
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Benison O'Reilly September 12, 2012
My father-in-law’s recent funeral cost $30,000. Jesus! His life was certainly worth celebrating, as he was a wonderful man, but who can afford that sort of money?
My Dad wants to go out without a fuss, as he told me recently, but I think I want something tangible of him to hang on to after he’s gone, even if it’s just some ashes.
Strange I feel that way, since I’d donate my own organs in a flash. Maybe it’s because my husband is a former medical student and I know what they’re like ….
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Miranda Muer September 12, 2012
Benison, cut a lock of your dad’s hair now and you will always have a little piece of him with you. When my dad died i cut some of my hair and left it with him in the coffin and cut a curl of his. i love that i still have this with me.
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moiby September 15, 2012
I am happy to donate my organs for transplant, but not my body to medical science.
I wouldn’t want my loved ones to donate their bodies to medical science either, but would embrace opportunities for organ donation and transplant.
A couple of my good friends are medically trained and I have a pretty good idea of how medical students commonly treat and discuss bodies they learn with. Each of my medical friends say that they wouldn’t donate their loved ones’ bodies to science knowing what happens.
At least with organ donation, you know your or your loved ones’ parts will be treated with respect and appreciated by the recipient.
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sue bell September 15, 2012
I have registered as an organ donor, not too sure about a body donation for the simple reason my body has failed me all my life and I like the idea of being intact and finally out of pain. Stupid? yes it is as there is no life after death and I won’t know I’m finally out of pain. Just a reminder to everyone cremation is very, very bad for the environment. For me it’s no preservatives a shroud and bush burial. And yes you can go out like a viking, need to contact the sea burial people, it’s the way my mother wants to go, I think she wants fireworks as well. My son wants a burial with his bow and arrows and swords for archaeologists to find in hundreds of years.
Students really do need cadavers of all ages and health (if your dead I guess you can’t really be called healthy) so body donation is very important. Julia Gillard has a right to be very proud of her father and his generosity towards students. -
Kerrie Power September 20, 2012
I am a medical student and one of the people that benefit from people who are kind enough to donate their bodies. They are treated with utmost respect at all times and teach us more about anatomy than we can ever learn from reading books. It is the most precious resource we have at the medical school.
If you are interested contact your local university as most would have a program in place and can tell you about how to bequeath your body. Be sure to tell your loved ones.
