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Please contact our office so we may assist you with the living donation application process-

Ph: 936-294-2310

Email: stafs@shsu.edu

Yes! You and/or your family is more than welcome to still plan a service. When speaking to your funeral or service director, make sure you talk to them about options that do not include embalming of remains. Many people are unaware that you can absolutely still have a funeral service without your remains being embalmed in TX. 

Unlike medical schools, STAFS does not cremate the remains and return them back to the next of kin. Instead, all remains are archived into the STAFS Skeletal Collection, where they continue to be an invaluable educational resource for research, and training. 

No, STAFS is responsible for creating the death certificate for a donor but is not responsible for procuring certified copies on behalf of the donors family. In some instances, a donor or donor's family may prefer to coordinate the death certificate process through a funeral home. This is also okay.

Yes, notify STAFS if you wish to withdraw your consent to donate your remains However, once a body has been donated and received by STAFS it will remain in the STAFS Skeletal Collection. 

Yes, however, all donations are on a case-by-case basis. There is always the chance that organ & tissue donation could affect whole body donation candidacy later.  Although, STAFS is pleased to report that since opening in 2009, this type of donation rejection has never occurred. 

If a death has occurred, STAFS should be notified after the loved one has been formally pronounced deceased by phone 936-294-2310. STAFS personnel will guide your next-of-kin and/or authorized agent through the donation process including coordinating transportation and at-need paperwork. 

There is little to no cost associated with willed body donation at the STAFS program. If your loved one has passed away at a location that does not provide temporary cold storage, and/or outside of STAFS normal business hours then the donor's family must make arrangements with a funeral home to temporary store their loved one until they can be moved into the care of the STAFS program. Funeral homes typically will charge for these services and STAFS/¸£Àû¼§ will not cover these costs. 

The closest relatives of a deceased individual, as defined by TX state law, are considered your next-of-kin. Don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions regarding your next-of-kin status. We highly encourage that if it is your wish to donate that you discuss your wishes with your legal next-of-kin. 

(a) Subject to Subsections (b) and (c) and unless barred by Section or Section , an anatomical gift of a decedent's body or part for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education may be made by any member of the following classes of persons who is reasonably available, in the order of priority listed:

(1) an agent of the decedent at the time of death who could have made an anatomical gift under Section (2) immediately before the decedent's death;

(2) the spouse of the decedent;

(3) adult children of the decedent;

(4) parents of the decedent;

(5) adult siblings of the decedent;

(6) adult grandchildren of the decedent;

(7) grandparents of the decedent;

(8) an adult who exhibited special care and concern for the decedent;

(9) the persons who were acting as the guardians of the person of the decedent at the time of death;

(10) the hospital administrator; and

(11) any other person having the authority to dispose of the decedent's body.

(b) If there is more than one member of a class listed in Subsection (a)(1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (9) entitled to make an anatomical gift, an anatomical gift may be made by a member of the class unless that member or a person to which the gift may pass under Section knows of an objection by another member of the class. If an objection is known, the gift may be made only by a majority of the members of the class who are reasonably available.

(c) A person may not make an anatomical gift if, at the time of the decedent's death, a person in a prior class under Subsection (a) is reasonably available to make or to object to the making of an anatomical gift.

As long as it is legal to do so, and you qualify for at least one research project at the time of your donation screening, STAFS can still accept your remains into the program. Please note that because airports do not have cold storage capabilities, STAFS cannot transport directly from IAH, HOU or EFD. Embalming will affect your acceptance status. For more questions please reach out to our office directly so we can help you plan for the future. 

No, the STAFS facility is legally not allowed to be accessible to the public.