Express & Star

Hip and knee joints from cremated bodies donated for charity

Artificial hip and knee joints from people who have passed away have been donated to raise £10,000 for charity.

Published
Stafford Crematorium

The body parts, including nails and screws from coffins, have been passed on from Stafford Crematorium to a recycling company in exchange for money.

The families of those concerned have given consent for the metal to be filtered out as part of the cremation process which then leaves the remaining ashes to be collected by them.

A total of £10,000, which has been split equally between the Douglas MacMillan Hospice and the Donna Louise Trust, has been raised this year.

And while it may seem an unusual process the crematorium, run by Stafford Borough Council, has been doing it since 2013 raising more than £30,000 for good causes in the process.

Councillor Frank Finlay, said: "I’d like to think that those who have had loved ones cremated will be comforted in the knowledge that their loss is helping fund two very important charities dedicated to helping make life easier for those who are suffering such horrible illnesses."

Douglas Macmillan Hospice is a specialist palliative care provider in Staffordshire for adults, the majority of whom are affected by cancer.

The Donna Louise Children's Hospice provides respite and end of life care for children with life-limiting conditions, as well as support for their family.