Anatomical Donation Reflection – Prayers for “Barbara”

Jason Denoncourt

“God, thank you for the gift of life, the world that nurtures us, the lives we share, the wonder of your creation. I pray for the woman that lays before us; let us remember and honor her life and ultimate donation to science. I pray for the woman’s family; that they may find solace that her body is teaching future physicians. Provide my group with the courage, strength, wisdom to dissect with respect and study the intricacies of your creation. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

My head pressed into my chest, I reflect and pray in the locker room before the “first cut” of our anatomical donor. In sneakers and hospital scrubs, I scatter downstairs to anatomy lab, a few minutes late. The instructor outlines the objectives of the session as my group prepares for our first dissection, organizing scalpels, forceps, and the lab manual.

Our anatomical donor is an older, white woman. Last week, our group reflected on the hand-written note left behind that says, “by donating my body, I hope to help someone enjoy a more comfortable, healthy life or if studies need to be done – students will learn how to better treat illnesses.” We respond with emotion, each in a different way; some with watery eyes and some with that feeling of a knot in our chest. Our group speculates about her life lived, even naming her “Barbara” to prevent ourselves from dehumanizing her during the dissection.

In lab, “Barbara” is positioned prone, on her chest. The scalpel cuts through the skin, the subcutaneous fat, and a layer of fascia. I reflect these layers and expose a section of the trapezius muscle. Our group takes turns with the dissection, exposing the superficial muscles of the back. There’s a palpable discomfort among us, taking pauses and leaving the room to compose ourselves before continuing.

For a while, I felt we were not the right people for the dissection; we lack experience and complete knowledge of anatomy. We were tired from a long week of studying and overwhelmed by the task of cutting into a human being. I initially wished that the school would provide “pro-sections,” so we did not have to dissect. But, I remind myself of the note left behind by our donor: “students will learn how to better treat illnesses.” Despite my discomfort, I pray for the strength to focus and optimize the short amount of time in lab. She, along with the seven other donors in the room, gifted her body to educate physicians, for us to learn anatomy from her body through the process of dissection. Because of her ultimate gift, eight medical students will not just learn anatomy from a textbook illustration but experience anatomy in the lab.

Anatomical donation is a beautiful sacrifice and demonstration of loving others. I am reminded of a popular biblical verse: “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Throughout the Bible, Jesus refers to loving God and loving others as the greatest commandment of God. The love in this passage refers to a sacrificial love. Jesus portrayed love of others through sacrifice, with love that spans beyond death. We are called to do the same. Though I am not arguing that everyone must become an anatomical donor to demonstrate true sacrificial love, I admire and further appreciate the gift of “Barbara.” As a future physician and admirer of science, I question my willingness to make the same sacrifice. By donating her body, she has extended her compassion to those she will never meet. Her gift not only affects eight medical students but also thousands of our future patients.

Now in the gastrointestinal block of the curriculum, I now look forward to anatomy lab. God’s creation is so remarkably complex and beautiful. And, I have the privilege to honor the ultimate gift of “Barbara” and use this experience of dissecting a past life to best care for life in the future as a physician.

Jason Denoncourt is a medical student at UMass Chan interested in family medicine and community health.