Body Donor Program
Body Donor Program
Body Donor Program
The University of Utah Body Donor Program is deeply grateful for the generous gifts made by donors and their families. These selfless donations play a vital role in the education, research, and training of current and future healthcare professionals.
The impact of whole body donation reaches far beyond the University of Utah. Through their generous gift, donors support medical education, research, and training at the University of Utah and partnering universities throughout Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. Donors also play a critical role in providing hands on training opportunities for local first responders. These unique educational experiences cannot be fully replicated by any other resource and are essential to preparing current and future healthcare professionals and emergency personnel.
We hope families find comfort in knowing that every donor is treated with the utmost dignity, respect, and care. Our program is overseen by licensed funeral directors who are graduates of accredited mortuary science programs, have successfully completed national and state licensing examinations, and maintain their professional licensure through ongoing continuing education in the State of Utah.
Drawing upon our experience in funeral service, we are committed to providing compassionate, professional care throughout the donation process. Above all, our priority is to serve as advocates for our donors and their families, ensuring that each individual is honored for the remarkable contribution they have made to medical education, research and training.
If you have questions about whole body donation or would like additional information about the program, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are honored to assist you.
Sincerely,
J. Heath Holverson, LFD
Manager, Body Donor Program
University of Utah
Ways to Contribute
Become A Donor
Begin the process of becoming a donor by completing the bequeathal form.
For questions about body donation please call, email, or write to:
Heath Holverson
1925 E. Spence Eccles Drive
Suite 5025
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
801-581-6728
Email: bodydonor@lists.utah.edu
A Lasting Gift
Mortui vivos docent--"the dead teach the living"
In the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, this reflects a deep truth:
Body donation is essential to advancing medical education and research.
As our understanding in medicine grows at an unprecedented pace, so does the need for anatomical study. No textbook, plastic model, or virtual reality simulator can replace the experience of learning from the human body itself.
The U of U Body Donor Program is one of the few programs in the Mountain West dedicated to providing this valuable resource through meaningful collaboration with universities across Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. The body donor program plays a vital role in training future physicians, supports groundbreaking research, and ultimately improves lives for generations to come. We are deeply grateful for those who choose to give in this remarkable way.
Body Donation- Full Circle
Discover the profound journey of an anatomical gift. This short presentation walks you through the entire donation process—from initial arrangements to the vital role our donors play in training future healthcare providers and driving medical breakthroughs. See how this remarkable choice creates a lasting legacy that comes full circle in the service of humanity.