This is a significant contribution to medical education at Lublin's Medical University.
Once a donor dies, their body is preserved and used for in-depth anatomical study at the university.
The practice, part of the Conscious Donation Program initiated in 2009, offers invaluable resources for medical students, surpassing the learning potential of plastic anatomical models.
Such hands-on experience allows students to physically explore and understand the complexities of human anatomy in a way no other method can.
The motivations for these donations vary. Some donors express gratitude to medical personnel who saved their lives or their loved ones,' while others aim to ease the burden on families, especially those living abroad.
The university covers funeral expenses, a significant factor for some donors.
Prof. Grzegorz Staśkiewicz, head of the university's Department of Anatomy, emphasized the unique and irreplaceable value of real human bodies in teaching anatomy.
Unlike artificial models, each human body presents a distinct, real-life variation of anatomical structures, crucial for students to understand the diversity they will encounter in their medical careers.
Jolanta Lisiecka, the program's coordinator, highlights the diverse backgrounds of the donors, ranging from poets and miners to priests and doctors.
Many couples have jointly made donations, and there are also cases of young individuals who, faced with terminal diagnoses, chose to contribute to medical science.
Staśkiewicz also pointed out that while organ donation is more commonly known and offers immediate life-saving benefits, the impact of body donation, though less direct, is equally vital in enhancing medical education and, consequently, future healthcare quality.
After serving educational purposes, usually for the duration of an academic year, the bodies are cremated. A communal burial in the university plot at Lublin's Majdanek Cemetery then takes place, usually every few years.
This program contributes significantly to medical education and offers a profound way for individuals to impact future healthcare, even after death.
For those interested in the Conscious Donation Program, detailed information can be obtained through the Department of Anatomy at Lublin's Medical University, either by phone or via their website.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP
