LIVING DONOR DONATION PROCESS
The Living Donor donation process is completed by an individual who would like to donate their own body after they pass away. However, please keep in mind that this process is not an automatic acceptance into our program. Donation acceptance is based on research requirements at the time of passing. Because of this, STAFS always suggests for Living Donors to have an alternative plan, in the event we are unfortunately unable to accept your donation.
If you would like to register as a Living Donor with the STAFS Facility, please complete our Living Donor donation packet, and mail the completed forms back to the following address:
STAFS Facility
Sam Houston State University
Box 2525
Huntsville, TX 77341
If you would like for the packet to be mailed, emailed, or faxed to you, please contact our lab at 936-294-2310, or email us at stafs@shsu.edu.
-
OBTAIN A LIVING DONOR DONATION PACKET
The individual donating their own body after they pass away obtains a Living Donor donation packet from either STAFS website, email, fax, or mail.
-
COMPLETE THE PACKET
Individual completes the Living Donor packet, and mails the originals back to STAFS.
-
REVIEW & EDIT
STAFS personnel review the donation paperwork for completeness.
If any edits are required, STAFS personnel will call the phone number listed for the individual to discuss these changes and how to proceed.
-
LIVING DONOR CARD
After confirming STAFS has received the completed paperwork, STAFS personnel mail the individual a Living Donor card.
-
CONTACT STAFS
After the Living Donor has passed, someone contacts STAFS personnel, using the contact information found on the Living Donor card, to notify them.
Please note that STAFS can only transport from a hospital, morgue, medical examiner’s office, or a funeral home. STAFS cannot cover the costs of services provided by a funeral home, morgue, medical examiner, or hospital may charge for transport and/or storage prior to STAFS’ pick up/transport.
The donor must be kept in cold storage until STAFS personnel can transport.
The donor should not be embalmed before being donated to STAFS.
-
CONFIRMATION
STAFS personnel will confirm that Living Donor paperwork is on file for the decedent, and will gather updated biological, medical, and personal information about the Living Donor to determine if they are a candidate for any research projects going on at that time.
Unlike medical schools, STAFS does not cremate the remains of the donor and return them to the Next of Kin. All skeletons are archived into the STAFS Skeletal Collection, where continued research, education, and training opportunities take place. STAFS is unable to accept donations of individuals who will be cremated upon research end.
Please note that STAFS can only transport within 200 miles of Huntsville, TX AND within the state of Texas at no cost to the family.
STAFS is unable to accept out of state donations at this time. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this limitation, or if this has changed.
STAFS is unable to accept donors that have an infectious disease, or antibiotic resistant infection. Please contact us with any questions about this requirement.
-
NOTIFY NEXT OF KIN
STAFS personnel will notify the next of kin if the donation can be accepted or not.
If the donation cannot be accepted, STAFS personnel can offer some advice on other potential facilities the family could donate to.
-
SCHEDULE TRANSPORT
If the donation is accepted, STAFS personnel will schedule transport.
-
DEATH CERTIFICATE PROCESS
After transport is complete, STAFS personnel start the death certificate process, as well as mail the medallion to the next of kin.
-
VERIFICATION OF DEATH FACTS FORM
STAFS personnel send Verification of Death Facts form to the next of kin for review/signature.
-
COMPLETED DEATH CERTIFICATE
STAFS personnel release the completed death certificate to the state, and notify the next of kin on where they can request/pay for copies.
