Body & Organ Donation

It is not unusual for someone who has died to have left behind, as part of their legacy, a request that all or part of their body be donated to medical science or as a life-giving gift. Even if a donation legacy was not left, the individual's family may choose donation on their behalf. Individuals may choose to donate their whole body, organs, tissue and/or bones to help as many people as they can.

Body Donation

Body donation is when the whole body is donated to medical science for scientific research and medical and mortuary training. This type of donation provides medical students the opportunity to learn more about anatomy and disease. Body donations help researchers investigate how diseases and medical conditions start and progress; determine how a condition could have been prevented or cured; and work toward improving medical technologies.

When considering donating a body to medical science, families are encouraged to make arrangements in advance so that their wishes can be honored and the body transferred to the appropriate facility or school. There is limited, if any, out-of-pocket costs to families.

Eventually, the body will be cremated, at which time the cremated remains can be returned to family members upon request. Even with a body donation, you can still have a family gathering or service to honor the deceased. Contact your local funeral director to discuss your options.

Donation Programs

There are a number of medical institutions that accept body donations. There are also two public institutions that accept donations in New Jersey:

Organ and Tissue Donation

Every day, organ and tissue donations give the gift of life, sight and health.

The NJ Sharing Network is based in New Providence, NJ. The Gift of Life Donor Program is headquartered in Philadelphia. Both groups are members of the United Network for Organ Sharing.

In addition to managing the donation process, both organizations offer bereavement and grief counseling services to donor families. The organizations administer public and professional donor awareness education programs, arrange speaking programs and distribute donor literature.

The NJ Sharing Network is responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties, along with Cooper University Health Care and Our Lady of Lourdes hospitals in Camden.

The NJ Sharing Network shares responsibility for Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties with the Gift of Life Donor Program.

The Gift of Life Donor Program is responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue in Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, along with Southern Ocean Medical Center. The program's coverage area includes New Jersey, the eastern half of Pennsylvania and the entire state of Delaware.

To Register

Individuals who would like to register to become an organ and/or tissue donor can do so by contacting the NJ Sharing Network at 800.742.7365 or the Gift of Life at 1.800.366.6771.

Individuals can also register online at http://donatelifenj.org. You will need your driver's license and Social Security number to complete the registration process.