Why Sydney granny is donating her remains to the ‘body farm’
For Marilyn Thomas, the decision to donate her remains to the body farm was a “no-brainer”. But the 65-year-old Sydney grandmother had one condition — “a room with a view”. She tells why she has become a body donor and her family’s reaction. SEE OUR EXCLUSIVE VIDEO AND INTERACTIVE.
There are worse places to spend eternity than a gated bushland community with scientists keeping you company.
At least that’s the thinking of Marilyn Thomas, who will be resting in peace at Australia’s only body farm on the outskirts of Sydney.
Within 72 hours of her death, the 65-year-old will be taken to the UTS mortuary where blood samples will be taken before she’s transported to the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER).
There, on the 11-acre bushland site, secured by two layers of two-metre prison-like fencing, she’ll be placed in any number of scenarios — a shallow grave, above ground, maybe a setting mimicking a homicide — where researchers will study her decomposition.
“I’m going to be somewhere quiet and peaceful,” Mrs Thomas told The Sunday Telegraph.
“You’re in good company.”
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Donating one’s body to forensic taphonomy, the study of organic remains from the time of death to the time of discovery, sparks a range of reactions depending on people’s beliefs.
“My sister was horrified,” Mrs Thomas said of her decision
“She keeps sending me emails saying, ‘Don’t do it’. But I just told her it’s inspiring, it’s fabulous.
“Ever since I’ve been young, I’ve been very aware that we’re just another part of nature. So it was a no-brainer to be able to do something that would have some sort of positive impact.”
Her body will be used in research aimed at assisting death investigations, from finding murder victims buried in hidden graves to human rights investigations following acts of genocide.
Before the body farm was established in 2016, Mrs Thomas planned on being cremated but after reading about the facility, decided research would be a better use of her body.
“For a lot of people, desecration of bodies is a complete anathema to them and their religions and I totally respect that. It’s not part of my ethos but I do respect that,” she said.
While donors can request how their cadaver is used, Mrs Thomas has not.
Her only hope is that as “a good and loyal person, I should get a room with a view, get me a tree”.
AFTER deputy director Maiken Ueland said donors gifted their body for many reasons from altruism to an interest in eco-friendly burials and the betterment of forensic science.
Unlike other body farms around the world which accept unclaimed or unidentified bodies from medical examiners, the UTS-led facility is a donor-only facility and all bodies are willed by their owners. Currently there are 850 people registered to donate.
“I’ve seen donors before they’ve passed away so I’ve heard them say this is a beautiful gift, which it is, and that body donation is a beautiful alternative and it’s a different purpose for them,” Dr Ueland said.
Donors are held in deep respect at AFTER and to highlight their contribution, researchers work to ensure as much data as possible comes out of each donation.
“We have a memorial wall and we hold a memorial service annually to really show how much we value the contribution that each of the donors is making, because for us, he research would not be possible without the donations,” he said.
For Mrs Thomas, her end of life option is one she’s more than comfortable with.
Her family can still hold a memorial or wake as they please, there just won’t be a body.
“I’m going to the body farm and my husband’s going to the university (medical research), so we’ve got a double booking,” she said.
“Once he knew he didn’t have to pay for the funeral, he couldn’t sign fast enough.”
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