Thanksgiving Service

10 Mar 2014

The Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience is hosting its second Thanksgiving Service in memory of the people who have donated their bodies for medical and dental research.

The Thanksgiving Service for Anatomical Body Donors will be held in the Honan Chapel UCC on Wednesday March 12th 2014 at 4.00pm.

Bodies have been donated to the college for the teaching of anatomy to its medical, dental and science students since 1849. Each year the University accepts about 20 bodies of people from the Munster region who have indicated prior to their death that they wish to donate their bodies for this purpose. This Service is unrelated to the final committal or funeral service of any individual but, rather, is intended as an opportunity for the altruistic actions of the donors to be acknowledged. It is non-denominational and members of the congregation do not need to be of any particular religious affiliation or, indeed, hold any religious belief, to attend the Service.

Professor of Anatomy John F. Cryan said: "We are very grateful to those who are generous enough to donate their bodies for medical science and education. Such bequests are essential to our proper functioning within the Medical and other Health Science schools. The body donors’ selfless and public-spirited actions benefit the education of approximately 600 students each year. I am delighted to say, representatives of our students that have benefited from this generosity will take an active part in the Service and acknowledge the gift they have been given by their “first patients”".

The Thanksgiving Service will be attended by approximately 200 people, including many relatives and friends of the deceased, current students, academic, administrative, postgraduate and support staff, senior University representatives, and clergy.

The Thanksgiving Service is now a bi-annual event and important date in the Calender of the College of Medicine & Health at UCC.