What a great story!  Donating your body for medical research is admirable, but can be difficult for surviving family members.  I like this school's approach of ensuring that students treat their "patients" as real actual people, not just cadavers.  I have already arranged to be an organ donor upon my death, but may consider this instead.  It's essential for medical students to have actual bodies to learn from.

I think this is an incredible idea.  I have been an ICU RN for nearly 20 years, and have seen class after class of new residents come out of medical school already seeing their patients as just a condition to be treated.  Nurses spend 12 hours at time with their patients and know them as people, but doctors, from first year residency on rarely get to spend enough time with any patient to really get to know them as individuals, as people.  If every medical student was made to know this first, important "patient" as a person instead of something "gross" that they must distance themselves from, maybe it would go a long way toward helping them see all of their patients as people.  I think it could have the potential to impact their entire career.

This story is touching, to say the least. The idea of donating one's body to medical science for use like this makes most people squeemish, to say the least, but after reading this article and seeing how these medical students take care of these bodies is touching. This is not just about learning medicine; it's about learning and expressing compassion for the body donated and the living family members.

I think that the most interesting fact about this entire process was when the Dot's family learned about the medical conditions that they didn't know she had. By sharing Dot's entire medical history, these students were able to really investigate Dot's ailments and learn so much more about each of them. This is better than anything the could get any medical textbook.

As for Dot's family, they know that her generous donation may help medical science find a cure for the diseases that she had. They lost their loved one but eventually got her back again, but in between a wonderful group of one-day physicians also got to know about Dot the person, as well as Dot the patient.

As squeemish as this topic may make people, what's more important is how the students treated both Dot's body, her life and her family with so much respect. This is what will help to make them good doctors some day.

Your wonderful story makes me want to donate my body to science as well. I just widh all medical schools would have "open doantions".

What an amazing woman! What an amazing family!

What an amazing, thoughtful woman. She had a very optimistic and generous view on life. She wanted to find her purpose in death, and rather than just having a pretty dress and a nice wake, she wanted to help those in the scientific field learn about diseases and the body. I'm glad that not only did she help these students, but that she was able to change her husband's mind on the whole experience, and has even inspired him to consider doing the same when his time comes.

I'm an organ donor myself, and hope that I can serve a purpose to students like Mr. Buchler, who has kept in touch with this family and treated Ms. Dot with the utmost respect.

I'd like to know how to ensure my body is donated to science and research though. Is there a form to fill out?

What a marvelous lady and wonderful family. Mrs. Dot lives on - and others may  live longer - because of her gift. Her family was truly blessed.

Great Story! Confirms my plans to donate, as well as, reopening the the overwhelming respect I had for the two cadavers I was so fortunate to learn from.

This beautiful article is so timely. My wonderful Dad died at age 92 last week. He was relatively healthy all of his life and had donated his body to the University of California at Davis Medical School for dissection in the anatomy lab. My sister had some difficulty at first with the concept (I had been in such a lab and was OK with it), and this article really helped her. She sent it to UC Davis in hopes they will consider this approach in the future. I hope others will consider this most generous gift. One life saves thousands.

My mother had a desire to donate her body but only her eyes were used for this purpose. If medical institutions have "open" policies then the desire of the deceased can be fulfilled. You may have to look at forms, get them signed, and possibly make arrangements for the person's remains to be transported. In this case because my parent had cancer in the past that was the reason the eyes were acceptable. At least she helped in this way.

This is a fabulous and fascinating story. I helped teach anatomy lab for many years for the medical school here, and we loved getting the medical histories whenever we could because it made the experience even more revealing for the students. Each and every cadaver was treated as a fantastic gift, but the few times that we knew the medical history made it that much more personal. This is the first time I've heard of a completely open program (often donors don't WANT all of their info disclosed), but I think it's a great idea and I've forwarded this story to the head of our Body Donor Program and the Dean of the medical school. Thanks so much to Jim and Dot and their family, and kudos to the medical school for such a thoughtfully-run program.

What a great story, My father passed away 3 years ago and like Dot he donated his body to science. We as a family would have loved to have know the medical students that studied our father. We are from a state that does not allow that to happen. What a up lifting story, this has brought happiness to our family that you can't imagine. God bless each and every one of you.

What a wonderful story. I, too, wish that all the donations were "open" ones, so that others can have the experience Ms. Purcell's survivors and the students have. I think others who choose to donate their bodies would be thrilled to know that so much can come of that gift.

My father has always said he wants his body donated. I've always known that I will have to make the arrangements and I've always dreaded that day. He's 86 now, and that day is drawing closer--now, I don't feel quite so squeamish about it. It's the right thing to do--every day of my father's life has been about being in service to others, that shouldn't stop because of my sentimentalism.

I feel so honored to work this semester on my first cadaver. I will also donate when I die- it is a tremendous gift you give medical students and the training benefit is incalculable. I have such great respect for the families that have made my higher education possible.

My husband and I signed up 10 yearsago to donate our bodies for scientific research. We like to think that what goes around, comes around. Maybe a student will discover a cure for a disease that may someday cure one of our grandchildren. The best part is they get your medical history which can be a great asset in research. Why just cremate a body when it can serve a purpose?

This story is comforting to me... my mother has been diagnosed with an uncurable illness the doctors know very little about, and has asked to donate her body to science upon her death in hopes of helping the professionals to know more about her disease, and in doing so, hopefully helping others to suffer less in the future. I haven't really known how to take this somewhat unusual request, but hearing this story is comforting. Thanks Dot :)

What a truly wonderful and refreshing story. I have donated my organs when I am gone, but now I know that donating my body to science would be an even better option. What is better to maybe help one person see again or to help thousands see again, to give one person a new heart or to give thousands a chance through medical science? My father just passed away this past June and he was an organ donor, sadly we could not donate his organs because the fee's associated with donating this gift are so very high. Which in itself is sad enough that my Dad's wish could not be. I thought about donating his body to medical science but was just to overwhelmed with grief to further investigate, the time frame is crucial as we all know. I know my Dad would have greatly loved to help another person have the gift of sight or to have a fighting chance with a new heart, but more so he would have loved to be learned from. Now that I know the criteria for donating your organs after you are gone, I will change my records to indicate I would rather like to donate myself to science. What a truly kind woman Dot sounded like and what a wonderful program for her family to learn the things they did about her and to know that she did the most generous and kindest thing for science and for them in the end. The medical school should be applauded for their act of kindness to the families but also for giving back their loved ones in the end, so they are finally home. Hat's off to Dot, her family for following her wishes despite the pain it caused them and to the medical students.

I love this idea. During my gross anatomy class in medical school 12 years ago, all identifying information was supposed to be removed from our cadavers. Ours was a patient from a nearby nursing home, and his dentures, complete with his name, were left in place. Knowing the name of the person we dissected made it easier to imagine him as a living, breathing person, and I would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet his family as these students did. To this day, the gift this person and his family lives on in the care I deliver to my patients; I literally remember where structures should be and how the organ systems work from the anatomy I learned from him.

Thank you to all of you who have responded and expressed your thoughts in such a genuine way. My Dad and I are speechless and overwhelmed at the response my mom's story has had on the world. I could not think of a better tribute to her than the acknowledgement that has been given to her and Indiana University Medical Northwest Campus.

I have read all of the replies and appreciate the warmth in your responses for someone none of you actually knew. This has been such a invigorating day, you all will never know. I can only encourage those of you who are on the fence yourselves or trying to help someone with their wishes to journey ahead and make it happen. The reward in helping my mom is nothing short of tremendous. I know had she gotten the chance to meet Dr. Talarico and the students who were in charge of her dignity, she would of been thrilled. She has gotten in death what she wanted in life. To always teach others. My father and I thank each of you and wish you the best as the future nears.

James & Michael Purcell

Thank you Dot.

THIS is the type of article I would like to see more of in the "news" not the trash that is so common. Amazing story.

I have donated my body to Baylor here in Houston Texas I did it because I am a Toxoplasmosis case my mother got toxemia from a cat scratch while carrying me. When I have told my doctors what I have they all said they heard of it but never knew some one with it.So I hope some one can learn from me so more doctors know about it.

As an aspiring doc, I understand that my cadavers were formally people, who were filled with life. I will treat them with respect. When I'm gone, I too will have my body to be used as a cadaver.

I have always known would will my body to a medical school. This story just made me feel even better about my decision.