SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah hosted a unique memorial service on Friday at the Salt Lake City cemetery.
The service honored 175 people who have donated their bodies to the U’s medical school this year.
The bodies are used by medical students to learn the intricacies of the human body, and people involved in the program say it’s a way for donors and their families to give back, even after death.
“At the University of Utah, we are particularly proud of this program because the families who donate not only get some sense of satisfaction about the fact that their family members are really advancing science and health, but also we have this kind of event where we can all sort of celebrate their lives together,” said Vivian Lee, dean of the University of Utah Medical School.
After the bodies are studied, the remains are cremated and either returned back to family members or buried in the Salt Lake City cemetery.
