# Donating human bone to a volunteer SAR group ..



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Dem Dar Bones .. 

I'm booked for my surgery to get my hip replaced next month and am wondering about protocol for donating the bone to my local SAR group. The hospital I'm getting it done at is a teaching hospital and wants to have the bone donated back to them as well. But you know me I'm all about the dogs and think my worn out hip would be better served in helping train HR dogs bring closure to families who have lost loved ones. 

Any body have any idea on any legal issues that I might encounter trying to donate this bone? The hospital didn't really give me any help on it as I said they want the bone themselves. So I just tell the surgeon to put it in a ziplock bag and put it in my luggage? LOL any help or advice appreciated.


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## Ted Efthymiadis (Apr 3, 2009)

Geoff Empey said:


> Dem Dar Bones ..
> 
> I'm booked for my surgery to get my hip replaced next month and am wondering about protocol for donating the bone to my local SAR group. The hospital I'm getting it done at is a teaching hospital and wants to have the bone donated back to them as well. But you know me I'm all about the dogs and think my worn out hip would be better served in helping train HR dogs bring closure to families who have lost loved ones.
> 
> Any body have any idea on any legal issues that I might encounter trying to donate this bone? The hospital didn't really give me any help on it as I said they want the bone themselves. So I just tell the surgeon to put it in a ziplock bag and put it in my luggage? LOL any help or advice appreciated.


You are the man Geoff, never in my wildest dreams did I think about doing this.


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

I believe each state is different. It is illegal in some states to have human remains. Are you allowed to keep your body parts in your state? If you can keep your part, I assume then you can just give it to the dog handler of your choice....Course, if you want a place to send it I can give you my address LOL!!! 

Thanks for thinking of a SAR group, HR sources are hard to find! I am sure your local sar group will be very appreciative!


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

I know for religious reasons they can't dispose of a placenta without consulting the family. The local SAR groups seem to use placenta and/or teeth a lot in training, so I'm sure that if I can donate this it will help them a lot. I have a pre-op meeting with the social worker to set up a discharge plan this Friday so I'll raise the question there. Though I suspect I'll get a lot of flak from the hospital and a run around most likely.


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Good luck with the surgery . Nice of you to think of that .


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Geoff....I will talk with Kim Gilmore, I know that one of her team mates mother had a knee replacement and she donated the knee to the team. I have forms and what not for accepting HR, so that may help you as well.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

However the donation process goes, best of luck with your surgery, Geoff. Hope you're back on your feet soon!


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Jim Nash said:


> Good luck with the surgery . Nice of you to think of that .


My thoughts exactly. O


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Geoff Empey said:


> I know for religious reasons they can't dispose of a placenta without consulting the family. The local SAR groups seem to use placenta and/or teeth a lot in training, so I'm sure that if I can donate this it will help them a lot. I have a pre-op meeting with the social worker to set up a discharge plan this Friday so I'll raise the question there. Though I suspect I'll get a lot of flak from the hospital and a run around most likely.


Really? Here' they toss the placenta without asking (I've had 3 kids in 2 different states so maybe it varies but AZ and NY just toss it and don't ask) - not that I'd want the nasty thing back or anything.

Hope your surgery goes well! I never thought of donating bone, maybe I'll have a chance to do this when my knee replacement comes up soon!

I kept my teeth from my wisdom tooth (surgical) removal just by asking the dentist - who thought I was gross. They are gross though, bone and everything still attached, yet I haven't tossed them out yet, haha.


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## Becky Shilling (Jul 11, 2006)

A lot of the HRD groups here get placenta. If the mother says, "pack it up, I want it", she just has whoever she designates come by and pick it up. It's your bone for heavens sake, I would think you could put it on your mantle if you want to.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Becky Shilling said:


> A lot of the HRD groups here get placenta. If the mother says, "pack it up, I want it", she just has whoever she designates come by and pick it up. It's your bone for heavens sake, I would think you could put it on your mantle if you want to.


Hazardous waste in some municipalities...an friend of mine wanted to keep her gallstones for whatever ungodly reason....NOPE Denied!!!!


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## Kim Gilmore (Feb 18, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> Hazardous waste in some municipalities...an friend of mine wanted to keep her gallstones for whatever ungodly reason....NOPE Denied!!!!


Have you ever seen gallstones? Very pretty actually. Look like big green emeralds and with what you pay to get them out, actually more valuable per gram than the real thing! :wink:

Kim Gilmore


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Wow, you weren't kidding. They are pretty. 

http://sbarnabas.com/blog/?p=244


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

wow--didnt know they were pretty. Getting my gall stone (and the bladder) out in Dec...I am hoping to be allowed to keep my part, but NJ is picky....

Good luck with your new hip Geoff!


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

So did you get it worked out? Sometimes I think it is easier to get your bone etc as a "souvineer" or for some "religious" reason than for dog training.

You know I don't know anywhere it is actually illegal to possess human remains--not sure how it works in Canada -- the issues are more of blood borne pathogens, training, disposal, and informed consent from the donor. And stupid people who don't take ensure that the general public won't come into contact with their training aids.

Gallstones....I wonder if they actually WOULD be a viable training aid - or are they just a mineral conglomeration without human sourced material.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> So did you get it worked out? Sometimes I think it is easier to get your bone etc as a "souvineer" or for some "religious" reason than for dog training.


Yeah I was thinking the same thing, I have a appointment tomorrow with the person who I'd be donating the bone too, as she is helping me get Sasha up to speed on some service dog skills to help me after the operation. 

So we will talk and make a decision at that point. After all it is my bone and it has caused me grief for close to 30 years you know 'ahem' I want to have it bronzed!


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

So it looks like it can be a go. The group can't be given the bone by the doctor but can be accepted if 'I' give it to them with paperwork. So I have to insist on getting my bone returned to me. 

FWIW "recognizable" Body parts are illegal to possess up here so things like a hand or a foot are taboo but a femoral head should be good to go. We have just some tees to cross i's to dot to finalize.


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## Mary Lehman (Oct 2, 2008)

Hi Geoff. Almost 2 years ago I had a knee replacement done. I asked to have all my 'parts' returned to me. My surgeon thought I was a little nuts at first, but then understood the need for training. I signed a release going into surgery and got several pieces of bone as well as the meniscus. Nice training aids.

I think it's awesome that you want to donate your 'parts'. 

Good luck.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

It is wonderful - wet bone is so hard to come by. 

Old dry bones you can buy on the internet.

I was so bummed when we could not get my grandaughters' placentas to use as training aids....


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> I was so bummed when we could not get my grandaughters' placentas to use as training aids....


How come you could not get them Nancy? 

When Steph got pregnant with Taten, Doug forbid me to even ask her if she would consider letting me have the placenta. 

9 mos later, we walked in after she had him and she said, "oh yeah, Carol I have a present for you and she handed me her placenta in a bio hazard bag." 

Doug just shook his head....and we all laughed. And the nurses thought I was nuts.....LOL

Now that Taten is gone, I don't have the heart to do anything with it though. So, I will take it to Kim's the next time I travel to MT and donate it to her team.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Sigh...... Taten. I can understand why you would do that. Too many memories there.

But, there are absolutely NO laws against it in SC We even got a letter from a government agent saying there were not laws but we would have to follow OSHA guidelines, which we do anyway, but it is very hard to get HR here.


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