{"id":122017,"date":"2025-05-09T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=122017"},"modified":"2025-05-08T14:23:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T19:23:12","slug":"anatomical-donor-program-honors-loved-ones-at-memorial-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/05\/09\/anatomical-donor-program-honors-loved-ones-at-memorial-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Anatomical donor program honors loved ones at memorial service"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

With gratitude to 101 special donors, the UNMC anatomical donor program held a memorial service to honor loved ones who provided an important gift to medical education at UNMC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memorial service remembered those who donated their body over the last year to be used in medical education. The event, held April 18 at Truhlsen Events Center, drew more than 500 people \u2013 family members, health professions students, and faculty and staff involved with the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kimberly Latacha, PhD, associate professor in the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy and vice chair of medical education, said the memorial service was an important moment to say thank you to family and friends who ensured that their loved ones’ wishes were honored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Latacha told the gathering that the gift of anatomical donation is \u201cabsolutely critical to the education of medical professionals throughout the state of Nebraska.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTreating the donors as their first patients, students learn about anatomy, human variability and a variety of diseases and conditions that will serve as the foundation for their medical careers,\u201d she said. \u201cThey also learn about empathy and compassion and begin to develop their professional identity as community healers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memorial service allowed UNMC health professions students to share their thanks, their perspectives and their caring words. Students offered personal reflections, poems and performed musical pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The students came from UNMC\u2019s medical education program, graduate and masters of medical anatomy program, and physician assistant and physical therapy programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah Shaffer, a student in UNMC\u2019s physician assistant program, said the donors are shaping students \u201cnot only as future health care professionals, but as more compassionate caregivers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs students of UNMC, we are profoundly aware of the privilege and responsibility entrusted to us,\u201d Shaffer said. \u201cEach donor represents the pursuit of knowledge, the dedication to healing and the commitment to advancing medical science.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added, \u201cTonight we stand united in remembrance and appreciation. The selflessness of these donors lights the way for generations of medical professionals to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenzie Todd, a PhD student in the anatomy teaching track, told the families in attendance, \u201cYour loved ones have left an impact that will begin a never-ending domino effect through the life of every single student sitting among you tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe knowledge I have gained from this unparalleled gift will be passed to the generation of students I hope to educate, who will use it to pass it on further, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toward the end of the ceremony, UNMC students lit 101 candles in remembrance and presented a flower to each of the donor families.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The annual service, held at the Truhlsen Events Center, drew more than 500 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