The Willed Body Program would like to offer our heartfelt apologies for the cancellation of our Annual Willed Body Memorial Service on April 11th, 2026. Due to hazardous weather conditions, the difficult decision to cancel the event was made in the best interest of everyone involved.
While notifications were made to our website, voicemail, and social media, we were not able to reach everyone directly. Contact information is stored securely in our JABSOM office, and due to the emergency closure of our building, we were unable to access it.
Due to overwhelming interest and limited space, JABSOM’s Willed Body Program (WBP) continues to have reduced need for anatomical gifts.
The program will not accept or process new Anatomical Gift Donation forms after 4:30pm on Friday, August 22, 2025. Any planned donations will require that a complete, original, signed Anatomical Gift Donation form be postmarked by August 22, 2025 in order to be processed. Incomplete applications will not be processed. The Willed Body Program will not accept any applications by fax, email, or walk-in. Any paperwork received after the deadline will be returned.
IMPORTANT: This indefinite pause does not apply to current enrolled donors. If your donor status is up to date and you have your green donor identification card, you will remain enrolled. We will continue to accept anatomical donations of enrolled active-status donors. However, should the program reach capacity, JABSOM may temporarily stop accepting donations from enrolled donors.
Please check our website for updates: https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Willed Body Program at
808-692-1445 or at wbdonor@hawaii.edu.
The Importance of Body Donation
Anatomy is the study of the structure and function of the human body. It is one of the most important courses in the education of physicians, therapists and all other health care professions. The study of anatomy comes early in the medical curriculum and serves as the foundation for other courses. In addition, physicians in residency training and those in practice often pursue special courses in anatomy to enhance their skills and learn new techniques. Body donation plays a critical role in helping medical and health-related science students to master the complex anatomy of the human body and provides researchers with an essential tool for discoveries to help patients.
The Willed Body Program
The Body Donation Program at the University of Hawaiʻi, John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), is committed to excellence in research and education. While the primary focus of the Willed Body Program is to obtain the human cadaver for educational and scientific study, we strive to administer our program in a way consistent with the spirit of the good physician. In our contact with donors registering with the Willed Body Program or with the families of the donor we provide service that is compassionate as well as competent. Anatomical donations are greatly appreciated. Each contributes directly to new understandings. The need is great, and each gift is valued and honored. Students and staff treat each donor with the utmost respect and dignity.
Contact Information:Each year, to show their appreciation to the donors and their families, medical students and staff participate in a Memorial Service to honor these “silent teachers”.
University of Hawaiʻi
Dept. of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology Willed Body Program
651 Ilalo Street, BSB 119B
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-692-1445
E-mail: wbdonor@hawaii.edu