Completely off topic post

 I usually post about bankruptcy issues, once in a while about estate planning or real estate.  This post has nothing to do with bankruptcy.

Back in February I listened to a program of Science Friday on MPR and the subject of the program was brain donation.  I did not know such a thing existed.  It turns out that the National Institutes of Health has a program called the NIH NeuroBioBank.  That program takes the brain from a deceased person and sends it for study.  The idea is to compare the brain tissue of people who die from Alzheimers or other brain-type diseases against the brain tissue of people who die from other causes -- so to speak "normal" brains.

I was so intrigued by the idea of helping people after my death that I signed up.  I hope that when I (eventually!) die that I have a "normal brain" and that it can be used to look for differences that may help cure or prevent Alzheimers or some other terrible disease.   I have at least one relative who was descending into dementia when they died -- it was so sad to see them slip away.  If there is anything I can do to prevent that for some other family I think it would be a final good deed on my behalf.

Besides, as many of you have probably already said "Sam, you're already not using your brain".

Below is a clip from the Science Friday program that gives some basic information.

The easiest way to begin the process of registering yourself (or someone else) to become a brain donor is to visit braindonorproject.org and click on the “pre-registration” button in the upper right area of the home page. It is a brief online form that collects contact information and a few other details. You may complete it for yourself or on behalf of someone. Once that online form is submitted, the information will be referred to the appropriate Brain Bank in the NeuroBioBank network. Within ten business days (this time period can be expedited if necessary), a packet of consent and release forms will be sent that needs to be completed, signed and returned in order to be considered a registered donor of that brain bank. You’ll also be given instructions for the family regarding what they need to do at the time of your death. The most important thing is to notify the brain bank within an hour of the donor’s passing, as time is of the essence for the recovery procedure. The body would be transported to a local facility – often this can be the funeral home involved; if not, another mortuary or medical facility is identified. The brain is then retrieved through the back of the head (so as not to be disfiguring) and it is shipped to the brain bank. All of that is at no cost to the family. Once that’s taken place, the body is released to the family to proceed with whatever (funeral or other) arrangements have been made.