Since the number of cadaver donations is low in Turkey, most physician candidates graduate without seeing a cadaver. Physicians’ first patient is often a real human corpse; So instead of a cadaver, it becomes a model. Cadavers are imported for 22 thousand dollars. Even if a person wishes that his body be used as a cadaver while he is alive, he can be buried after his death if his family objects. For this reason, the donor must notarize his will stating that it is a cadaver. Anatomy Specialist Assoc. Dr. Özcan Gayretli, on the other hand, states that a person’s consent is required for a person to become a cadaver after their death, and gives the following information: “Family relatives also need to give their consent to this after their death. When these conditions are met, we receive the donor. Apart from this, even though no official donation has been made.” “If the person has a will and it is a case that does not require judicial control, we accept it as a cadaver.”
USED FOR 10 YEARS
When accepting a cadaver, whether it is healthy or not does not affect science. Gayretli notes that he has seen only 4 imported cadavers in his 22 years of faculty life, and the remaining ones are local cadavers. The cadaver was processed in the first year and It can be used for up to 10 years if stored well. Explaining, Gayretli says, “We preserve it in cold rooms. The indispensable component of medical education is the cadaver.”
ONE CADAVER FOR 24 PEOPLE
Explaining that cadavers are mostly imported, Prof. Head of the Anatomy Department of the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Ahmet Usta said, “In Turkey, orphaned bodies are kept for 15 days and then given to universities, but these bodies should not have been autopsied. The ideal number of students per cadaver is 6 people. In Turkey, one cadaver is enough for up to 24 people. When schools are opened, 2 or 3 cadavers are taken, but they must be taken every year. There is a shortage of anatomists in Turkey. Also, most of the teachers are afraid of cadavers because they have never seen one. “They don’t want to touch it and they don’t care about its education,” he said.
What did donors say?
“WE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HUMANITY”
Writer and teacher cadaver donor Ece Ataer said, “I lived an idealistic life and I want to die the way I lived,” and explained how she became a donor as follows: “Every person has the fear of death, but after I decided to become a donor, I started not to be afraid of death. After death, my life will change in a different way.” I believe I will continue somehow. Students will experiment on me, learn, and help other people. “This situation affects me very much.”
Ece Ataer’s husband, Ekrem Ataer, who is also a cadaver donor, said, “I decided that it was more meaningful for my body to be in the service of science rather than disappearing after death. Those who want to commemorate us can read and listen to our works. “We are very happy that we made this decision.” he said.
He was buried 8 years later
“WE ASKED THE RELIGIOUS”
The body of Ayşe Kızmaz, who donated her body as a cadaver to Istanbul University Çapa Medical Faculty, was buried in a ceremony held 8 years after her death. Speaking to Haberglobal, Metin Aşçı stated that his wife had been struggling with cancer for many years and said, “She started receiving cancer treatment in Cerrahpaşa since the 1980s. When he was asked if he would be a cadaver, he agreed. my wife rafter becoming a manWe also asked the Directorate of Religious Affairs. As a result, we complied with his will and then requested that my wife’s body be given to us. “We buried my wife in a ceremony held 8 years later in 2019,” he said.
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