This year, the third reverence for body donors should have happened. With respect to hygiene measures, a private meeting took place on 4th November 2020 instead.
All of those who contributed by their donation, and their highly valuable gift enabled anatomy teaching at our faculty, were remembered by students of FM MU, by the head of Department of Anatomy Dr Marek Joukal, PhD and by vice-dean Jana Fialová. The act of a bouquet laying and candles lighting expressed their gratitude in the atrium of the Department of Anatomy. Head of department Marek Joukal reminded the importance of a post-mortem examination. Yearly, about 1000 students from the general medicine study programme or dentistry as well as from health-care study programmes take part in anatomy classes. Although many modern teaching technologies are available and partly substitute the teaching on cadaveric materials, the practical teaching on donated bodies is the most fundamental and necessary teaching method for our future health professionals. For this reason, I highly appreciate our donors, without their great gift no anatomy teaching would be possible. And especially in this time, in the time of All Souls´ Day, it is appropriate to remember them.
Vice-dean Jana Fialová expressed her gratitude as well and she said: "On behalf of all representatives of FM MU, I would like to say thank you for the realization of this reverence meeting considering this nowadays abnormal situation. It is necessary to remember with a high appreciation all of those who support the education of our students by their greatest donation. Also, I would like to inform about an opening of a fund-raising campaign for the reason of honour grave establishing at the Central Cemetery in Brno which will serve not only as a respectful place of reverence but also as a burial plot for donors. Especially, I would like to thank former vice-president of the Medical Student´s Association Dr Jakub Voldřich and present president Martin Šabík for taking charge of the fundraiser and the idea itself. I would like to invite all students and colleagues who feel the importance of this project to contribute with respect to their possibilities. Thank you." The Medical Student´s Association was represented by a new female deputy – its president Klára Dolinová and Natálie Srbová as vice-president. Words of gratitude came out of their mouths as well: " We would like to express our thanks on behalf of whole the Medical Student´s Association and all students for whom anatomy was the entrance ticket on their way to becoming not only a good doctor but also a humble person. And with all of this humbleness, we are paying the tribute to all donors who have gifted us or will do so. Who donated the most precious thing – their bodies for us students of the Faculty of Medicine to become great doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists etc. Deelan Vadher laid the bouquet with his deepest respect on behalf of all international students.
It is worth mentioning the noble idea of a tombstone establishing for body donors at the Central Cemetery. For this reason, the Medical Student´s Association established a bank account via which everybody could join and support this intention: 2901871435/2010
You can express your memory and thanks to body donors by joining our invitation to a virtual concert. We would like to address all talented students, academics and employees or future students at our faculty to record their favourite piece of music and send this record to stetoskop@med.muni.cz. It is necessary to put your first and second name, the study programme, the study year and the faculty as well as the name and the composer of the chosen piece of music you would like to send in your email. You can enclose a picture of your musical instrument which is played or a picture of yourself playing. The piece of music should be sent in MP3 and the picture in jpg/jpeg/png with your consent to release. The deadline for sending records is 11th December 2020. Records will be released continuously. In the end, all records will be connected and made into one virtual concert which will be released at the right moment.
The Body Donorship was the topic for one of the episodes of Stetoskop podcast as well. The main guest was Dr.Marek Joukal Ph.D., head of the Department of Anatomy who answered questions regarding the meaning of anatomy teaching, the process of body donorship as well as the process of body preparation itself.
The sixth annual Act of Rememberance for Body Donors filled the renovated ceremonial hall of the Central Cemetery. Czech Television also filmed the event.
A memorial service will be held in the ceremonial hall of the Central Cemetery in Brno on 2 November at 5 pm for people who agreed to use their bodies after death for the purpose of teaching future doctors. A new collection for a memorial to these donors has begun.
