Donor registration

Becoming a donor

If you or a loved one are interested in becoming a registered donor of the Washington University Gift of Body Donor Program, please download and complete the registration form below or contact our office to receive the form in the mail. Please return the completed form to the Program office as indicated on the form. As confirmation, you will receive an acknowledgement letter for your files, as well as a donor card to carry in your wallet.

Once you have registered to the Donor Program, you should share copies of your Gift Documents with your responsible party or loved one who can follow through with your wishes.

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Body donation basics

Donor tissues are used to teach anatomy in its various forms to students, resident trainees and other physicians, both in the classroom and in surgical settings. Unfortunately, we are unable to honor requests to make donations for research of specific illness or disease.

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Making arrangements

You or a responsible party acting on your behalf are asked to make arrangements to transport your body to Washington University School of Medicine upon your death. Arrangements may be made by contacting the funeral home of your choice. While Washington University does not charge a fee to donors, the funeral home will bill for transport services, which include removing your body from the place of death, finalizing details of your death certificate and transporting your body to Washington University School of Medicine.

Costs for transportation vary by company. By law, all consumers may inquire about funeral home pricing and all funeral homes must be forthcoming with price information when a phone inquiry is made. We suggest calling providers to inquire about their fees prior to transport.

It is the responsibility of the funeral director you have chosen to generate, complete, and file the death certificate. At the time of filing, the funeral director will order certified copies of the death certificate.

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Enrolling a participant other than yourself

Only an individual with durable power of attorney, court-appointed guardianship, or other legal representation may act on behalf of another individual. A complete copy of the appropriate document must accompany the Washington University Gift of Body Donor Form.