Many people consider donating their body to science in lieu of choosing a funeral followed by cemetery burial.

If you are interested in donating your body to science and making a contribution that benefits others, Medcure is one of the oldest and most respected programs to do so. If you quality for a body donation, Medcure will arrange for your body to be donated, and then will organize the rest of the remains to be cremated and returned to the family within 3-5 weeks for no cost. If you would like to know more, please call (866) 437-9526 and someone will be able to assist you and answer any questions.

Donating your body to science:  a basic description

When you choose to donate a deceased body to science, you are essentially donating the body to aid medical research - usually to teach medical students about anatomy.

When you donate a body, a representative from the medical school picks up the body and takes it to back to the school school where it's embalmed and stored.  The body is used to teach anatomy to medical students during the following semester's classes.  After the semester ends, the body is cremated.

The cremated remains (i.e. cremains) are either returned to the family or buried in communal plot in a cemetery near the medical school.

Families choosing to donate a body to science can still choose to hold their own memorial service after the death; however, in cases of body donation, the cremains will not be present during the memorial service (because the body needs to be transported to the medical school immediately following death).

The medical school usually holds a single memorial service for all of the bodies used during the previous semester's classes, and surviving family members are invited to attend the ceremony.   The medical school's memorial service occurs approximately two years after the date of death.

After the school holds their memorial service, the cremains are usually buried in a cemetery near the medical school.  However, the family can also request the cremains be returned to the family.  Again, this occurs nearly two years after death.

Many people want to know what services are offered by a funeral home.  Funeral homes, cemeteries, and memorial dealers all play an important role in caring for a deceased family member.  However, funeral homes normally handle the actual funeral or memorial service.

Different funeral home services

But not all funeral services are like.  In fact, funeral homes offer a range of services designed to accommodate different wishes and budgets.

Here are the most common types of services offered at most funeral homes:

•  traditional funeral service

• immediate burial

• direct cremation

• cremation with services

• donation

• memorial service

• graveside service

• private service

A "traditional” funeral involves the laying out of a casketed body for friends and family to pay respects.  The casket itself may be either “open” or “closed”.  An open casket is one in which the casket lid is left open so that the deceased is visible throughout the ceremony.  A closed casket ceremony means the ceremony is held in the presence of the casket, but the casket lid is closed.  The decedent’s family decides which option they prefer after considering the manner of death and condition of the body.

This post provides price ranges for many of the items associated with a traditional funeral service.  Reviewing these considerations will help you identify the type of funeral service most appropriate for your budget.

A traditional funeral service can cost nearly $10,000

While the average funeral costs nearly $7,500, many traditional funerals cost in excess of $10,000.  Here are the main components typically associated with a traditional funeral:

• casket: $2,300

• funeral director’s basic services fee: $1,400

• embalming and body preparation: $600

• viewing / visitation ceremony: $400

• funeral ceremony: $450

• transportation (pick up body, limousine, and hearse): $625

• miscellaneous (certificates, permits, music, clergy, obituary, register book, service folders, obituary, flowers): $500

• grave site $1,000

• fee to dig grave site $500

• headstone $1,500

The above costs represent national averages for many of the costs associated with a traditional funeral service.  Your actual costs could be higher (or lower) based upon geographic location, the funeral home you select, and the actual items you purchase.

If you would like to save money the next time you need to make funeral arrangements, you can search and compare local funeral home pricing at Parting.com.