On May 7, PCOM South Georgia students honored 11 people who made the selfless contribution of donating their bodies to science and to the education of future healthcare providers during a memorial service held on campus. Their family members were invited as guests to the service.

“This gift gives us the resources that we need to improve the health and lives of people for generations to come,” said Alize Berrios (DO ’27) as she welcomed guests and classmates to the service. “To the families of our donors, we offer our deepest sympathies for your loss. Thank you for putting your faith in us and our education. I know that being separated from your beloved family members is one of the most difficult things to cope with, but you have taken your grief and channeled it into hope and faith in our education, and the future of medicine.”

This year’s event was coordinated by students from the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2027 and the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Class of 2025.

Many of the students consider body donors their first patients. Alice Koschella (DO ’27), recalled her first few days in the PCOM anatomy lab.

“I was uncomfortable and scared because six months ago, this person may have been grocery shopping with their grandchildren, or watching TV with their spouse, or doing anything that any one of us could do in our daily lives,” she said. “I knew that for the next six months, we would become well acquainted with the discomfort of their passing.”

Koschella went on to express gratitude and encouragement.

“They give tremendous meaning to our education in their passing, but I'm sure they gave even more meaning to you during their life,” she said. “To my classmates, let's honor their legacy and model ourselves after their altruism. Let's go forward with empathy, continuing to make decisions for the betterment of our communities. Let us never forget the sacrifice that families made in giving a year, if not more, of their loved one’s time before they laid them to rest.”

Jodeci Mitchell (MS ’25), Biomed class chair, spoke about how working with the donors helps provide an essential dimension of education.

“With the knowledge and skills we have and are gaining from the donors, we know we will be equipped with the tools needed to thrive as future medical students,” she said. “With that being said, today, let us rejoice. Let us honor and celebrate the incredible generosity of these donors. They have not only supported our education, they have also instilled in us a sense of gratitude about the importance of giving back. We're forever grateful for their contribution. I want to assure you that we will carry their legacy with us as we continue on our journey towards becoming successful medical professionals.”

During the service, students lit a candle for each of the donors honored. 

In addition to the service, this year students teamed up with campus administration to create a memorial garden inside part of the new fitness trail.

“A lot of students use this trail, so we wanted to place this flower garden here as a reminder of our donors’ gracious gift and donation to our education,” Berrios explained. “This way, every time we walk out there we can be reminded of their sacrifice and how much it’s meant to our education.”

Visit the PCOM South Georgia Body Donor Program webpage for more information or contact Jeremy Dickens, anatomical coordinator at PCOM South Georgia, at [email protected] or 229-668-3261.