How to Donate

The Body Donation Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine is an important community service that allows an individual to make a lasting and meaningful contribution to medical science.

Those interested in becoming a donor should call 513-558-5612. Forms will be sent and should be completed and distributed as indicated.

Upon return of one copy to the Body Donation Program, a letter of acknowledgement and a wallet-sized donor information card will be sent to the donor. This donor card should be carried by the donor at all times.

Enrollment in the Body Donation Program is open to anyone 18 years or older.

When Death Occurs

Once a registered donor has passed away, the medical facility is responsible for notifying the University of Cincinnati Body Donation Program by calling 513-558-5612. Laura Garrison is the program director.

Normal office hours for the Body Donation Program are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. During normal working hours, the medical facility should assist the family in making transportation arrangements to the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

The family makes the decision on who will transport the body, either a funeral home or ambulance service, but the facility can make the arrangements. Transportation is the only expense to the family.

If it is after 4 p.m., a weekend or a holiday, the medical facility will still need to notify the University of Cincinnati by calling 513-558-5612 and leave a voicemail message regarding the donor’s death, date and time, as well as who will transport the body.

All pre-registered deceased donors should be transported to the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science (CCMS) which has an on-call lab assistant after 4 p.m. The college is located at 645 West North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH.

A copy of the body bequeathal form, registration confirmation letter and/or donor card must accompany the body to CCMS in order for the body to be stored at their facility. The family of the donor is not charged for storage of the body at CCMS.

If death occurred outside a medical facility, the Body Donation Program should still be contacted at 513-558-5612 and arrangements should be made to transport the body to the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science via a funeral home or ambulance service.

The Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science must be contacted prior to body arrival by calling 513-761-3773.

The UC College of Medicine has facilities to store the remains of 140 persons on stainless steel trays adjacent to a well-equipped preparation room. After all studies have been completed, the body is cremated and the ashes are returned to the family or interred in a university plot at Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. However, the program does not receive or provide reports regarding studies on anatomical donations.