Policy for Body Donation

DONATION OF HUMAN REMAINS

The Bureau of Anatomical Services (BAS) and LSU Health Shreveport  appreciates your desire to donate your remains for purposes of medical education and research. The BAS, functioning under Louisiana law, is responsible for the procurement, use and disposition of the remains which are donated. Remains donated to our program are assigned to one of its member institutions: LSU Schools of Medicine or Dentistry at New Orleans, LSU School of Medicine at Shreveport or Tulane University Medical Center.  On occasion, depending on need, donated remains may be transported to other Medical Centers.  However, all remains will come back to LSU Health Shreveport for final disposition.

DONATIONS TO LSU Health Shreveport

LSU Health Shreveport does not pay individuals for their remains. However, by making your donation, you have relieved your survivors of the majority of expenses of burial. LSU Health Shreveport arranges and pays the expenses for transporting remains of registered donors whose death occurs within 100 miles of Shreveport, Louisiana. The family will be required to pay the additional mileage beyond the 100 miles.

To donate your remains, you have several options with regard to obtaining the paperwork necessary to make a donation to our program:

  1. You may either download the donation form by CLICKING ON THIS LINK.  The downloadable form is a fillable PDF that can be filled out and printed.  Please print out TWO COPIES of the form and complete the signature section for yourself and your witnesses on each form.  Please send one of the forms back to the address below and retain the other for your records. 
  2. You may write to the address listed below to have a hard copy of the form and information packet mailed to your home.
  3. You may send a email requesting a form and information packet VIA THIS LINK
  4. You may call the telephone number (318-675-5320) to speak with our Director of LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
BUREAU OF ANATOMICAL SERVICES
JOHN BEL EDWARDS, Governor
REBEKAH GEE,MD, Secretary 

Once you have obtained the correct form, please have two witnesses (preferably family members) also sign the form. If the form is not filled out completely, it will be returned. Mail the original (white copy) to:

Allean McGowan Pratt 
Director of Anatomical Services 
Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy 
LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport 
PO Box 33932, Shreveport, LA 71130.

Your form must be on file at least thirty (30) days before your death in order for you to be considered a registered donor. You will receive an acceptance letter and donor cards after the 30 day waiting period has expired. If death occurs prior to the end of the 30 day waiting period, the donation still may be made if the family or estate incurs all related charges. The other form (yellow copy) should be given to a relative, friend, or physician who should be instructed to report your death to the Director of the Willed Body Program (318-675-5320 or 318-675-5312) or after business hours, to the Program Representative on call.

It is important for you to inform your close relatives, friends, and family physician that you are participating in the Willed Body Program as a body donor. Please instruct them to contact the LSUHSC-Shreveport Willed Body Program promptly to report your death at:

LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program 
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Phone: (318) 675-5320; (318) 675-5312

Nights, Weekends, and Holidays 
LSU Health Shreveport University Police 
Phone: (318) 675-6165; (318) 675-6160

The LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program will be unable to accept your remains if:

  1. An autopsy has been performed,
  2. Embalming is done prior to delivery to our facility,
  3. An infectious disease (e.g. hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis, clostridium difficile, MRSA or other sepsis) is present,
  4. The body is excessively obese (>250lbs) or underweight (100lbs),
  5. The body is in a badly deteriorated condition or severely damaged as a result of an accident,
  6. The death requires an autopsy according to Louisiana state regulations,
  7. Death occurred as a result of excessive trauma to the body,
  8. The body is deemed unusable by the Director of the LSUHSC-S Willed Body Program.

Eye Donation:

Our Willed Body Program does allow for Eye Donation.   In addition to the donating your remains to the LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program, you may also choose to donate your eyes to the Northwest Louisiana Lions Eye Bank (318-222-7999).

By your donation, you are making a noteworthy contribution to medical education and research and LSU Health Shreveport appreciates your generous spirit in this matter. Frequently asked questions are answered on the FAQ PAGE. Further information will be supplied on request regarding the procedures. On occasion, depending on need, it is possible that donated remains may be transported for use at other Medical Centers; however all remains will come back to LSU Health Shreveport for final disposition. Should your relatives or friends wish to give a monetary donation to medical education and research in your memory, donations will be accepted by the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy and will be registered with the School of Medicine.