Cremated Remains After Body Donation: How Long It Takes

Most whole-body donation programs cremate the donor once the research or teaching is finished, and many offer to return the cremated remains to the family. How long that takes depends on the program. Science Care cites about 3 to 5 weeks after donation for unclaimed tissue, while a university program such as OHSU says most donors stay with it for 2 to 3 years. Some donation options never return the remains at all.

How long does it take to get ashes back?

The wait is the biggest variable. It depends on how long the program needs the donor for teaching or research, and that can differ from one donor to the next.

These are examples from two programs, not national averages. Other programs set their own timelines, so get an estimate in writing before you sign up. If a program can't give you a range, treat that as a reason to ask more questions.

Will the ashes always come back?

No. Return is a choice that sits in the paperwork, not something you can assume.

• Return to a named person. Science Care says the cremated remains can be returned to the people you designate.
• No return. OHSU describes an "indefinite" option in which the donor is not returned to next of kin. The donor is cremated, then buried at sea or inurned.
• Not stated. Some programs are vague about final disposition. Look for the exact wording in the consent form and ask the program to confirm by email.

If you want the remains back, make sure that box is ticked, name who should receive them and keep the address up to date. A program can't deliver ashes to someone who can't be found.

How much will come back, and what will it look like?

For a standard cremation, the Cremation Association of North America says adult cremated remains average between four and six pounds. They are mostly bone fragments, usually white to gray.

Programs rarely publish how much families receive after whole-body donation, so be wary of any exact figure you see online. Ask the program what to expect, including whether the cremation is individual and whether you will receive paperwork confirming it.

Does it cost anything?

It depends on the program, and the difference matters.

• Science Care says that once you are accepted, its program is a no-cost option covering transportation, cremation, return of the cremated remains and filing of the death certificate.
• OHSU says the donor's estate pays funeral home costs and the initial preparation and transportation expenses, because Oregon provides no state funding for them.

Ask what is covered in writing. Also ask about extra certified death certificates, which families usually need for banks and insurers. Our guide to how many death certificates you need explains how to count them.

How are the remains delivered?

Within the United States, USPS says you may ship cremated remains domestically only with Priority Mail Express, and the outer package must be one of its cremated remains kits. USPS also says it is the only carrier that ships cremated remains. If you plan to send some of the ashes to another relative later, the same rules apply. Our guide to shipping cremated remains covers the steps.

Programs may mail the remains or use another handover. Ask which applies and whether someone has to sign for the package.

Can we hold a funeral or memorial?

Yes, as a memorial service. Science Care says traditional viewings and open casket funerals are not available through its program, but families can hold a memorial with or without the remains present. Many families hold one service soon after the death and a second small gathering when the ashes arrive. Our guide to celebration of life vs memorial service can help you choose a format, and funeral without a body covers the practical details.

Programs often offer their own tributes. Science Care says it plants a tree in honor of each donor and emails the person who consented a letter outlining the research programs involved. OHSU says medical students write thank-you cards to donor families and that a winter memorial service invites families to speak about their loved one.

What if the donation is declined?

Programs make a final decision after the death. OHSU lists low or high body weight, extensive trauma including recent unhealed surgeries or an autopsy, signs of decomposition and a history of communicable disease such as hepatitis, HIV or tuberculosis among the reasons. Science Care lists HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B or C, extremes of body mass index, consent issues, location, legal issues and the condition of the body. Science Care also says about 40% of people who register never become donors.

So have a backup plan, such as direct cremation, and make sure your family knows it. Our guide to body donation rejection reasons explains what to do if it happens.

Questions to ask before you register

1. How long will the donor stay with the program, and is there a range in writing?
2. Will the cremated remains be returned, to whom and how?
3. What does the program pay for, and what might the estate owe?
4. Is each donor cremated individually?
5. Is the organization accredited? The American Association of Tissue Banks runs an accreditation program and an online search for accredited establishments, but not every program holds it.
6. What happens if the donation is declined?
7. Can I cancel later, and how?

Our guide to how to donate your body to science walks through registration, and body donation programs compares program types.

What to do when the ashes arrive

There is no deadline. Some families keep the remains at home, scatter them or bury them in a cemetery. Rules for scattering depend on where you are, so check first.

• Scattering ashes: a practical guide
• Keeping ashes at home
• Interring ashes in a cemetery
• Dividing ashes among family

If your loved one's gift included a memorial tree from the program, or you want a living memorial of your own, some families plant one with a biodegradable urn.