I was honored to attend the MU School of Medicine’s annual Gift of Body Commemoration. This moving event expresses our profound gratitude to those who donate their bodies for the advancement of medical science and education. It is also an opportunity to thank donors’ family members for entrusting their loved ones to our care. This year we honored 57 donors and more than 70 family members were in attendance, along with School of Medicine students, faculty and staff.

Held in the Patient-Centered Care Learning Center, families were presented with a yellow rose and had an opportunity to share memories with our School of Medicine community. There were also memorials, family photos, remarks by medical student and donor family member Diana Wagner, as well as a musical performance by medical students Zuri St. Julien and Rebekah Colacot.

I want to thank everyone at the School of Medicine who organized this important event, including Dr. Kevin Flaherty (Gift of Body program director), Dr. Allison Nesbitt (Gift of Body committee member), Shannon Eierman (Gift of Body program coordinator), Shawn Owens (Gift of Body committee member) as well as Carli Hensley and Kaylee Lewis (2024 Gift of Body co-chairs).

We are proud to honor our Gift of Body donors and their incredible commitment to others.

— Mun