Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust receives ‘record’ inquiries from donors

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, which runs a body donation centre, says it has received a record number of inquiries recently.

The National Repository Centre, based at the City Hospital, accepts donors who wish for their bodies to support medical education, training, and research when they die.

The surge comes after Alan Shawyer shared his story with the BBC, detailing how his late wife became a donor when she died in January.

Senior anatomy technologist, Mark Curwood, explained how the Nottingham centre usually receives around two body donation inquiries a month.

However, after the article’s publication, this number shot to 30 people between in two days over August.

Ann Shawyer, who died in January, previously worked for 30 years as a nurse at City Hospital in Nottingham, before being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021. She then made inquiries into body donation, continuing to pledge herself to medicine.

Alan expressed profound pride for his wife, wishing more people would consider the help it provides the medical sector.

He told the BBC: “Even in death, she still carried on helping people. I’m very proud, so proud, that she did that.”

Now on the donor’s register himself, Alan is encouraging others to learn more about it.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust via Google Maps

Speaking about the spike in inquiries, Mark said: “We were excited. It doesn’t sound like a lot but it is quite significant.”

He explained how donors are essential to their work, but donor’s family members are also equally as important.

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A memorial tree has since been unveiled at Gedling Crematorium in memory of body donors. The space has been described as an area for families “to come and reflect” or scatter ashes.

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust runs the National Depositary Centre, based at City Hospital and is licensed by the Human Tissue Authority. People wishing to inquire can do so by filling in a consent form, but must fit certain criteria.

Further information on body donation can be found at the National Repository Centre.

Featured image via Canva and Google Maps