The 2025 Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025. We overcame many challenges to bring back the in-person service. Due to limited seating in our venue, we are having two services on April 26, 2025. The time of your loved one’s service is listed on the RSVP sheet in the invitation. The invitations were mailed to the primary next of kin listed on file. Therefore, it’s the primary next of kin’s responsibility to notify interested family and friends. Due to our limited seating, we encourage watching the service via the live broadcast link below. Please note that if you have not received an invite letter, your loved one may still be teaching.
For our silent teachers who have elected to be scattered at sea, the cremains scattering ceremony will take place on the same day, April 26, 2025 at 2:00PM off the Waikiki-side of Magic Island (Ala Moana Beach Park). We will post a highlight reel of the cremains scattering portion of the day below once we have it ready. Highlight reel length may vary depending on weather and technical conditions at the time.
Both morning services will be live streamed, so please share this link with those who will be watching the service’s live broadcast.
Use this link (opens in a new window) to access the YouTube Live broadcast:
https://youtube.com/live/GCBGLgHh7vY
This link will go active at 8:45AM (HST) on April 26, 2025, with the first service starting promptly at 9:00AM (HST). The link will remain active throughout the second ceremony until June 30, 2025, or until we are able to get all edited videos below.
The 2025 Ceremony Program will be posted here the day before the ceremony.
Important Deadlines:
The 2024 Memorial Service Ceremony Program can be downloaded here: 2024 Memorial Service Program (pdf)
The Full Ceremony Video can be viewed with this link: 2024 Willed Body Program Memorial Service Video The link above still works as we try to get the individual videos up. Fast-forward to 57:00 of the video and you will be able to watch all videos.
We thank you for your patience as we continue to work to get the Main Program, Honoree Slideshow (updated with late photo submissions), and the Cremains Scattering Ceremony videos up.
All videos of the 2023 Willed Body Memorial Service held on April 15, 2023 are posted below.
The 2023 Memorial Service Ceremony Program can be downloaded here: 2023 Willed Body Ceremony Program (pdf)
All videos of the 2022 Willed Body Memorial Service held on April 9, 2022 are posted below.
The 2022 Memorial Service Ceremony Program can be downloaded here: 2022 Willed Body Ceremony Program (pdf)
All videos of the 2021 Willed Body Memorial Service held on April 10, 2021 are posted below.
The 2021 Memorial Service Ceremony Program can be downloaded here: 2021 Willed Body Ceremony Program (pdf)
The 2021 Willed Body Memorial Service held on April 4, 2020 are posted below.
The 2020 Memorial Service Ceremony Program can be downloaded here: 2020 Willed Body Ceremony Program (pdf)
The video presentation above contains the photos and/or bios that were submitted by the family and friends of the honorees by the designated deadline. The ‘2020 Honoree Picture Boards’ is an updated presentation, which includes photos received after our deadline.
By Paula Bender, JABSOM Media & Communications
Those who were invited to pay their respects at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), Willed Body Memorial Service on April 4, 2020, will not be able to attend the event in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To ensure sensitivity, plans are underway to create an honorable service that will be respectful of the donors and those who have only their memories to reflect upon.
Those who have received invitations will have to forego attending the memorial in person, as well as their friends and family. Last year there were more than 900 people in attendance at Wallace Rider Farrington High School in Kalihi. JABSOM will livestream the event via the link provided with the invite letter.
A memorial service has been held annually for our silent teachers since the inception of our program in the late 1970s. Services were made open to the public since the 1980s. The ceremony is held for those who completed their teaching programs and willed their bodies to JABSOM for anatomical education and training for future and current physicians and allied health professionals. For those honorees who requested their cremains be scattered at sea, they will be scattered during our next memorial service in 2021. If you wish to receive your loved one’s cremains, please contact us.
JABSOM apologizes for the inconvenience. However, we are making this decision in an abundance of caution to protect guests and students. As Hawaiʻi is in the early phase of COVID-19, these types of responses are critical to keeping the community healthy and safe.
"2019 Willed Body Memorial Service" Flickr Album"2016 Willed Body Memorial Service" Flickr Album 
"2015 Willed Body Memorial Service" Flickr Album 
"2015 Willed Body Memorial Service: Cremains Scattering Ceremony" Flickr album 