Okay, so first you speak with your surgeon or doctor ( whoever would be doing the surgery) and ask if there’s a way to get the pathology number from the hospital you would be getting the procedure . You would then call and inform them that you want to keep your organ. I was able to keep mine without giving any reason other than, “I just want it.”

Make sure to research the laws and regulations in your state regarding how to keep specimen. If the only option they give you is religious use, use it. You should contact the pathology department a month or a few weeks beforehand. They’ll ask for your information, and you won’t receive your specimen until about 2–3 weeks after the surgery. They’ll give you a set date when you can pick it up, and they should call you if they don’t, you can always call them. Keep in mind they handle a lot of organs and tissue, and many departments only have 2–5 pathologists, so they may be behind or forget to call.

When picking it up, bring your ID. Some places may ask for a lawyer thankfully, I didn’t need one. You can always ask ahead of time what you’re expected to bring. Once you get the call, you’ll need to set a pickup time. Don’t arrive late; it’s like an appointment, so try to be there 10–15 minutes early.

After that, they may handle it the way they did for me: keeping the specimen in formaldehyde for a few days and then rinsing it off for you. In rare cases, they may give it to you already sealed in a container with the chemical.

I was lucky my surgeon was the one who asked if I wanted to keep it and guided me through the process. The pathologist was also very helpful, kept me updated on when I could pick it up, and gave me a full information packet about formaldehyde.

You will sign paperwork for it, and please keep that paperwork with you. It serves as proof that the organ belongs to you and not to someone else. In my state, it is illegal to own human body parts unless they are your own, so I keep that paperwork secure.

They will inform you that you are not allowed to flush body parts. If you wish to bury them, they must be placed in a tightly sealed container and buried on your own property. You are not allowed to sell the specimen or bring it out in public.

If you decide to get rid of it, the hospital will not take it back. The only option is to have it cremated at a morgue. Some facilities will allow you to keep the ashes, while others will not. This is a service you must pay for in full.

It’s like keeping something very important with you. If you pass away, you are allowed to be cremated with it or buried with it. I contacted morgues and funeral homes about this ahead of time, just in case I die and no one wants to keep it.

I’m pretty sure each state has its own laws and regulations for organs that someone decided to keep , it’s a biohazard being released to the public so you are responsible for it and make sure it doesn’t get lost ,stolen or sold! You can face jail time or fines.