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Mercy Honoring Anatomical Donors At Ceremony

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. -- Mercy students will be saying thank you to their anatomical donors that made all their research possible.

Mercy College will be honoring its anatomical donors at a ceremony next Tuesday.

Mercy College will be honoring its anatomical donors at a ceremony next Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Contributed

The school is hosting its Anatomical Donor Appreciation Ceremony on April 18 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mercy Hall Rotunda. This is the second time Mercy students are hosting the event.

"These people generously believed their bodies should go on to have continued use," Dr. Kathleen Golisz, professor and associate dean for the School of Health and Natural Sciences.

Golisz said students often write poems or find quotes to use as backdrops for a series of images. Last year, 50 people students participated in the event.

"It's really a lovely opportunity for students to get together and acknowledge the importance of people who helped us with our learning," Golisz said. "It's a very moving event. It’s amazing to see how they come together."

Cadavers are brought to the school each term from Albany Medical Center to give students a chance to learn about the human body. They can see what a normally functioning body looks like or what a body looks like that has had a disease, illness or injury.

"These are their silent mentors," Golisz said. "They have a silent faculty teaching them. There's a sense of reverence about them. We have a certain set of rules to ensure we show them respect. They are temporary members of the Mercy community."

Golisz said students are often initially anxious when they work with a cadaver, but soon realize how important they are if they want to practice medicine. Students are provided with the cadaver's initials and cause of death.

"Even the best computer systems can't give you that experience," Golisz said.  

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