From left: The sister and wife of body donor Frank-A with first-year medical student Gabriel Pitta.
This year's Gross Anatomy Memorial Service, in which first-year medical students remember those who gave their bodies for medical education and science, included family members of the body donors.
On April 21 in Uris Auditorium, 22 individuals were remembered for donating their bodies to humankind: Joseph, George, Cora, Eugene, Bernard, Salvatore, Blanche, Esther, Helen, Calvin-A, Calvin-B, Owvnie, Eleanor, Frank-A, Frank-B, Dilva, Patricia, Diedre, Ernestine, Shirley, Virginia and Josephine.
Seated, from left: The sons and daughter of body donor Eugene with (standing, from left) Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson; first-year medical students Nicholas Bernthal, Michael Shino, Nicole Serle, Neeti Bathia and Hiral Shah; and Dr. Estomih Mtui.
During their first-year anatomy classes, groups of four or five medical students are matched with a body donor for study. At the memorial service, students and family members remembered the donors through heartfelt songs, uplifting musical pieces performed by students, speeches and poetry. The son of body donor Eugene remarked about his father's strong desire to have both his life and death matter. The widow of body donor Frank-A said her husband decided years ago to give his body for the purpose of medical education. Family members of the body donors were also thanked for supporting their relatives' selfless acts and were each given flowers in their remembrance.
Students expressed words of appreciation in memory of the body donors. Many medical students said they hope to do justice to the memory of the body donors in their professional lives and others were simply grateful for "this purest form of altruism," in which the donor gains nothing. First-year medical student Amy Whittle said, "It was a brave decision to make in the face of one's mortality." Omotinuwe "Ife" Adepoju, another first-year medical student, wrote a poem for Josephine, titled "Josephine's Big Heart," which affirmed the sentiment many felt for all the donors:
From left: First-year medical students Nicole Serle and Neeti Bathia with the son of body donor Eugene.
We know nothing about your life
Whether you were a mother or a wife
We know nothing about your death
Whether it was sudden or expected
There is one thing we do know
This is that you had a big heart
Not in relation to blood flow
Or an eccentrically dilated heart
Thank you for giving selflessly
You gave so we could learn
Through your wonderful generosity
Arteries from nerves we can discern
Not this only, but your legacy lives on
Through your teaching, you have touched us
Through your sacrifice, others will live
You gave, we received
You taught, we learned
We know nothing about your life
But we know all about your heart
You gave so we can save lives
Thanks, you made a big sacrifice
From left: First-year medical students Jason Lee, Lee Kiang and Gabriel Brooks.
During the celebratory but solemn service, faculty members reminded students that "some of the best teachers are patients," and others talked about the great sacrifices the donors had made. Speakers included Dr. Estomih Mtui, assistant professor of anatomy in neurology and neuroscience and director of the program in anatomy and body visualization; Rev. Curtis Hart, director of pastoral care and education and spiritual counselor at NewYork Weill Cornell; Rabbi Stephen Roberts, coordinator of Jewish Chaplaincy at NewYork Weill Cornell; Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson, senior associate dean for education; Dr. Peter Marzuk, associate dean for curricular affairs; Dr. Thomas Maack, professor of physiology and biophysics and professor of physiology in medicine, who directs the human structure and function course; and R. Alexander Gomez-Castro, president of the first-year class (class of 2006). Dr. Bruce Ballard, associate dean, Office of Student Affairs, also attended the memorial service.
Seated, from left: The wife and sister of body donor Frank-A during the Anatomy Memorial Service luncheon with (standing, from left) Dr. Thomas Maack; Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson; first-year medical students Carolyn Goh, Hina Ghory, Hilcias Duran and Gabriel Pitta; Dr. Peter Marzuk; and Dr. Estomih Mtui.
From left: R. Alexander Gomez-Castro, president of the first-year class, and first-year medical student John Peoples.
Photos by Amelia Panico.