UIC Barcelona yesterday hosted the first Event to Give Thanks to Body Donors and provide an Anatomical Refresher Course, organised by the Body Donation Service in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the university. After a few introductory words from Dr Albert Balaguer, Dean of the Faculty, and Dr Albert Pérez Bellmunt, Professor of Anatomy at UIC Barcelona, the first part of the event included talks from Dr Maribel Miguel, Professor of Human Anatomy and academic tutor for the Body Donation Service and Dissection Room (Bellvitge campus) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the University of Barcelona. Talks were also given by Dr Marc Blasi, Professor of Anatomy in the Department of Fundamental and Medical and Surgical Nursing at the University of Barcelona (Bellvitge campus) and the Area of Structure and Function of the Human Body, and Dr Pedro Álvarez, Head of the Anatomy and Traumatology Unit at UIC Barcelona.
After the talks, a mass was held in in the chapel on campus for the souls of those who had donated their bodies to UIC Barcelona. Subsequently, in the Anatomy facilities on campus, a plaque was unveiled that offers recognition and thanks for those who donated their body to science. While the plaque was being unveiled there were talks from Dr Pau Mezquita, Head of the Area of Structure and Function of the Human Body at the university, and Dr Jaume Armengou, Vice-Rector for Academic Organisation and International Relations. Dr Mezquita referred to the importance of body donation to achieve progress in the area of science and professional excellence: students and professionals reinforce their skills, trust and compassion through practical anatomical work. Dr Armengou thanked everyone who works and studies in anatomy laboratories and in particular had a few special words of thanks for the body donors and their family members: “They are also part of our university community, although in a different way” he said.
