Medical School honours body donors at annual memorial service
Staff, students and families gathered in St Salvator’s Chapel on Wednesday 22 April 2026 for the School of Medicine’s annual Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration, held in honour of those who have donated their bodies for medical teaching and research.
The service, led by University Chaplain, Revd Donald MacEwan, provided an opportunity for the University community to pause and reflect on the exceptional generosity of donors and their families, whose gifts make an enduring contribution to medical education, research and patient care. Body donation plays a vital role in the training of future doctors, helping students develop both technical expertise and a deep sense of respect for those they serve.
Set within the historic surroundings of St Salvator’s Chapel, the service brought together readings, music, hymns and prayers that reflected themes of service, legacy and gratitude. Medical students Candace Cheung, Miles Wallace and Harmony Loader shared reflections on their experiences of learning from donated bodies, speaking to the profound impact these encounters have on their professional development and understanding of responsibility, dignity and compassion.
Music was provided by the Renaissance Singers, with the choir performing Beati quorum via by Stanford, accompanied by University Organist Tom Wilkinson. Readings from scripture and literature further shaped the reflective tone of the afternoon. A passage from the Gospel of Matthew was read by Dr Enis Cezayirli, Head of Anatomy, followed later by Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, read by the President of the Bute Medical Society, Pritja Wahi. These, together with the sermon titled, The Road Less Travelled, by Revd Erica Wishart, Registered Chaplain, St Columba’s Hospice, Edinburgh, invited those present to consider service, legacy, and the paths chosen in life.
The service concluded with prayers of intercession led by Revd Sam Ferguson, and a benediction. The annual memorial service remains an important moment in the life of the School of Medicine, offering thanks for gifts that continue to underpin excellence in medical teaching and research at St Andrews.
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