Initiating the donation process
If you decide to donate your body to Mayo Clinic, please register your intent in one of these ways:
- Printing and completing the Consent for Mayo Clinic Body Donation form.
- Requesting an informational packet with a consent form by calling our office at 507-284-2693 and then completing the form.
- Requesting an informational packet with a consent form by using our online request form and then completing the Consent for Mayo Clinic Body Donation form.
You must complete the form in its entirety and sign it yourself. We do not accept power of attorney, next of kin, guardian, or conservator signatures on behalf of the donor. We require two witness signatures. One witness can be a family member. The second witness should not be a family member. We do not require the form to be notarized. Forms with only one witness or without a donor signature will be returned to the donor for completion.
Depending on how you obtain the Consent for Mayo Clinic Body Donation form, it has either one or two parts.
If you get the form from our office, it has two parts. Part 1 is white. Part 2 is yellow. The information you fill out on part 1 copies onto part 2. You keep part 2 for your records.
If you print the form from our website, it has only one part. After you fill out and sign the form, make a copy of it for your records.
Share part 2 or the copy you made for your records with those who will carry out your intentions at the time of your death. We do not accept forms by fax or email. The signed original (part 1) is required to process your consent. Once the form is completed, please return part 1 of the form by mail to the Body Donation Program.
Attention
Mayo Clinic sincerely hopes your decision to participate in the Body Donation Program is a well-thought-out advance decision that reflects a thorough understanding of the program's purpose and limitations as described in the information provided here.
Advanced donor registration is critical to program consideration and participation. Your registration is realized once Mayo Clinic receives your signed consent form and sends you an acknowledgment of receipt letter. Mail and processing can take 6 to 8 weeks.
Our program is not suited for last-minute program consideration. Please plan ahead, register early and communicate your intentions to whoever will be speaking on your behalf. Registration is not a guarantee of acceptance, only consideration. We do not do any screening at the time of registration. Screening is completed after the donor death. Please refer to the Denial of donation section for further explanation. The program encourages every donor family to have an alternate plan in case a donation cannot be accepted.
The form is a statement of intention only and can be canceled at any time if desires or plans change. If such a change occurs, simply request to have the donation registration canceled by writing the program. If you have questions, please call 507-284-2693.
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