title: An altar in honor of the anatomical gift.
abstract: On All Saints Day 2009 a monument for body donors was unveiled by the Department of Anatomy, at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC). Although body donation to medical science contributes substantially to the quality of medical education, the ceremony was only the first time that the RUNMC publicly reciprocated the anatomical gift. By means of the monument the department of Anatomy endeavors to express gratitude for the gift of body donors and raise awareness among students to value the gift and treat donor bodies with the proper respect. Furthermore, the large attendance of bereaved at the unveiling ceremony, revealed another equally important meaning of the monument, which is the significance of the monument to the donor kin. The wish of a body donor has large implications for the way bereaved can take leave of the donor; there is limited time to bade the deceased farewell, the body will not be available for a funeral, and the donor kin stay behind empty handed without even a grave or ashes. Therefore the monument can be meaningful by facilitating the bereaved with a place of commemoration. The design of the monument anticipates on these multiple meanings and symbolisms by placing an old marble dissection table in the shape of an altar and fixing a bronze sculpture of a phoenix as symbol of imperishableness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. j.kooloos@anat.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Jan G M
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kooloos
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolt
authors.forename: Joop
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Straaten
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ruiter
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D004210:Dissection; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D037921:Gift Giving; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D012613:Sculpture; D014019:Tissue Donors