Anatomical Donation
If you are considering Anatomical Donation as a method of disposition of the whole body, we highly recommend contacting the medical entity you are considering prior to death. Doing your homework will ensure your body is cared for, you are knowledgeable about the expectations of your choice, and your family knows what to expect and who to contact. This ensures a smooth transition when choosing donation. Depending on the donation facility chosen, it is possible that when notified of the passing, they will directly assist with transportation and all necessary paperwork. This means a funeral home may not need to be involved unless you would like to set up Memorial Services.
If the chosen donation facility does not handle paperwork and/or needed transportation, our funeral home is ready to assist you with any needed tasks. Our Forwarding Remains for Anatomical Donations fee can be found on our General Price List.
Other Donations
One the most commonly ask questions is: If my loved one has selected has selected Gift of Life on their Driver’s License, can we still have a regular funeral? The short answer is: Yes, most definitely! Once a the Gift of Life personnel have completed your organ and tissue donation, our skilled and professional staff work to prepare your loved one for visitation.
When a person passes there are two ways organ and tissue donations can take place. The first is that your loved one has chosen to join the Gift of Life donation registry, or more commonly stated, has put a “little red heart” on their Driver’s License. At time of death, medical personnel and Gift of Life Staff will determine if a donation is eligible. If you are choosing a path of donation, it is important you are knowledgeable about your choice and your family knows what to expect. The other way a donation can take place is through at-need care. At time of death, Gift of Life Michigan or Eversight may reach out to your next of kin to ask for permission for a donation. Although it can be uncomfortable, we always recommend families having open conversations about donation.
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