A Story Behind Them...

Assalamualaikum...

The first time I entered the anatomy room, my heart was full of anticipation and anxiety. "wow.. I'm going to see my first cadaver!" that was what I thought. In truth, I was quite shocked that they seem to be kept for a long while already and not fresh ones as I expected. And as we transcend the semester, bit by bit the cadavers cease to have it's human appearance and the initial reverence that I felt was replaced by a routine atmosphere. 'He' or 'she' are now replaced by 1 to 16 for which number their tables are labeled upon.... How ignorant i was...

Today, 11 March 2009, the college organised a memorial service in memory of those who had donated their bodies to the college. My conscience made me volunteered and I was there, in the midst of the crowd in the Unitarian Church, as one of the speakers. I read a translation from the Quran from the verse al-Mulk. It was an interfaith ceremony where the Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Jews recite from their respective books. It was wonderful. To see all of them in silent agreement that in all, God is one. And that in the end, each and every one of us will return to God.

But the thing that touches me the most is after the ceremony itself. As I stood at the door, relatives, friends and neighbours of those who had generously donated their body to the college came and greeted me. They extend their hands and with it, their hearts. Their gratitude. And their sincerity. One lady came to me and said "That was a very beautiful reading. Thank you. Thank you so much" She had tears in her eyes...

In the College's boardroom where we had refreshments, I met with many more guests. A lady told me that the body was that of her sister's. Her sister was a student of the College way back then and was even sent to Malaysia to further her studies. She died and wished to contribute back to the college by donating her body for teaching purposes. I came upon two sisters who told me that they had donated their mother's body. They told me how their mother (aged 93 when she died) was always trying to teach them to do the right thing. Jokingly they told me that they fear their mother would come in their dreams if they did not make use of her body and ask them "Now why didn't you do the right thing with my body?" Another lady approached me afterwards and simply said "He was my husband" I can tell that she was still raw from her husband's death.

At that moment and time, it struck me deeply that the cadavers would have once joined in these social events before. They have a history to impart. They have people who they love. Each of them has stories to tell. For they were too, once alive and left marks in the sand of time. They too, are humans.

"They are our first patient" True... The person on table 16 is my first patient. Teaching me beyond the lessons of life. No words can convey my gratitude towards their generosity. Today's service, opens up a new dimension in my life... Thank you...