UTN is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Whole Body Donation for Medical Education & Science

A cost-free alternative to traditional funeral and cremation services.

We understand that making end-of-life decisions can be overwhelming. Donating your body, or your loved one’s body, to medical education is one of the most meaningful decisions you can make to help the lives of others now and into the future.

Since 2009, we have helped nearly 12,000 families mitigate or eliminate final expenses and contribute to medical education. Individual whole body donation contributes to thousands of people’s successful medical procedures.

The United Tissue Network Process

How to get started quickly

Register a Loved One or Pledge Yourself
Experience a Call with an Expert Donor Services Coordinator
Have The Whole Process & Cremation Services Covered
Know that Your Donation Will Help Advance Medical Education & Science

UTN is a Non-profit 501(c)(3) and Accredited Organization

Avoid these heartbreaking experiences.

Work with UTN for a better and more meaningful experience.

  • Avoid receiving ashes outside the promised period
  • Avoid waiting for death certificates which holds up closing the estate (in Arizona)
  • Avoid poor communication with the process
  • Avoid offshore customer support and unresponsive reps
  • Avoid wondering whether your loved ones’ ashes are theirs
  • Avoid uncertainty about the use of the donation

With United Tissue Network You Will

Save $1,200 – $7,000 in final expense and cremation costs on average

Have certainty that your loved one’s body will be used for education

Be supported by a Dedicated Donor Services Coordinator

Receive two death certificates

Receive ashes in a TSA-approved container

Experience 24/7 Local Donor Support

Receive bar-coded cremated remains to assure you/your loved ones remains are yours (scanned in/out)

Have confidence that you, or your loved one, will be taken care of wherever they are

We handle the entire process and cover all the costs of the transport from the place of passing, the cremation, and returning ashes to you, if you wish.

Low-Cost Cremation Options for Low-Income Individuals and Families

At United Tissue Network, we understand that end-of-life expenses can be a significant concern for many families. That’s why we’re proud to offer low-cost cremation as part of our whole body donation program.

  • Free Cremation Services: As a UTN donor, cremation is provided at no cost to you or your family.
  • Significant Savings: Save thousands of dollars compared to traditional funeral and cremation services.
  • Quality Assurance: Our cremation services meet the highest standards of care and respect.
  • Streamlined Process: We handle all aspects of cremation, reducing stress for your loved ones.
  • Meaningful Contribution: Your donation supports medical advancement while providing this valuable service to your family.

Whole Body Donation: Donate My Body To Science

Deciding to donate your body to science is a priceless gift to help advance medical technology, training, and education. 

Whole Body Donation provides human tissue for a variety of programs including:

Once you have registered with United Tissue Network, it does not prohibit a donor’s wishes for organ donation.

However, while organ donation does not prohibit someone from whole-body donation, loved ones will have to coordinate with organ donation organizations. We recommend doing so in a timely manner to ensure all donation timelines are met.

Benefits of Whole Body Donation for Science

  • Whole-body donation contributes to a wide variety of medical advancements, including surgical device development, advanced disease-based research, and hands-on bio skills training.
  • Cadavers provide the most realistic representation of the human anatomy, which is an ideal model to perform advanced surgical training.
  • Donating to United Tissue Network is an assurance that you will positively impact programs that focus on the advancement of bioskills development, surgical training, and education.
  • Because UTN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are held to a higher standard to educate our communities about the benefits of whole-body donation. UTN is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), which promotes and oversees the safety, quality, and availability of donated human tissue in the United States for transplant and research purposes.

How does the process of whole body donation to science work?

Know Your Options

It is our honor to provide you with all the information needed to make an informed and generous decision about donating your body to science.

Medical Professionals

United Tissue Network (UTN) is dedicated to honoring the intent of its donors by working with the most innovative and ethical medical educators around the world.

Accreditation

United Tissue Network (UTN) is accredited by The American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), which is a professional, 501(c)(3) non-profit, scientific and educational organization.