Sparks Brain Preservation
A Non-profit Organization
If you live in Oregon within 250 miles of our Salem facility, or are choosing Medical Aid in Dying in Oregon, then you can receive free brain preservation by donating your body to science to participate in our research program.
This is the same preservation procedure we provide to all of our patients, which is designed to maintain your brain’s microscopic structure after legal death in case revival becomes possible in the future. The only difference is that we will also take two small tissue samples to measure our preservation quality and contribute to contemporary neuroscience research.
Note: Don't live in Oregon? There are still options for you to access brain preservation that don't require payment to our organization. See Third Party Preservation and Body Transport.
Once you sign these forms, and we review them to check that we can accept the donation, you are enrolled. There are no fees or obligations.
Use these forms to sign yourself up for preservation. There is no initial or annual cost to be signed up.
Use these forms if you are working with us to preserve a loved one.
When you join our research program, you receive:
As a research participant, you also contribute to advancing preservation science. We will collect two small tissue samples (approximately 1 cubic centimeter each) from your cervical spinal cord to study with our partner organization, Apex Neuroscience. These samples help us measure preservation quality, improve our techniques for future patients, and contribute to broader neuroscience research that may help to develop better treatments for neurobiological disorders. The spinal cord location is chosen specifically because it is not associated with memory or personality. In rare cases where spinal cord tissue is not available, we may take very small biopsies from the cerebellar brain tissue instead.
Many people exploring body donation to science want to contribute to medical and scientific advancement after death. Our research program offers one way to do this, through advancing the science of human brain preservation. By participating, you help us study and improve preservation techniques that could benefit many people in the future.
Brain preservation aims to maintain the key aspects of the structure of the brain for an indefinite period of time. While we cannot predict if or when future revival technology might develop, we believe that preservation at least keeps that possibility open. Your participation helps us study and validate our preservation techniques, contributing valuable data to science.
We welcome anyone who:
Some people worry they haven’t done enough with their lives to “deserve” preservation, but we think that every person has intrinsic value. As a result, we believe that everyone deserves a chance at revival in the future, regardless of their circumstances, and we try to provide this to the best of our ability.
If I enroll in this program, will there be any cost to me or my family?
No. The research program is completely free with no hidden costs. This includes transportation of the body, the preservation procedure, tissue sample collection, cremation of the rest of the body, filing of the death certificate, and indefinite storage. Your family will never receive a bill. The only potential cost would be if your family chooses additional funeral services beyond what we provide, which would be with an external organization or institution.
Do you offer free cremation?
Yes, cremation of the body after brain removal is included at no cost as part of our free research program. This is handled respectfully and the ashes can be returned to your family if desired.
Are you available 24/7?
Yes, our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Death doesn’t follow a schedule, and brain preservation quality depends critically on acting quickly. If there is an emergency, you can reach our on-call team who will immediately begin coordinating the preservation procedure.
If I don't live in Oregon, are there options for free brain preservation with your organization?
Yes. However, they may require fees to be paid to third party providers.
One option is Third Party Preservation. This is when a local professional does the initial brain preservation procedure, and then the brain is shipped to our facility once it is adequately stabilized via fixation. There are professionals available to do this in many locations, because it is also done in brain banking and neuropathology. We will accept and store the patient's brain indefinitely for no charge.
Another option is Body Transport. This is when the body is transported near to us, either by air or vehicle transport. Once the body is within 250 miles of our Salem facility (such as at the Portland airport), we are able to accept the donated body as a part of our free research program.
If signing up for the research program is free, how does it benefit your organization?
Your participation is incredibly valuable to us! By joining our research program, you help us validate and improve our preservation techniques through scientific measurement of preservation quality. This provides essential experience for our team and generates critical data that advances the entire field. Most importantly, your participation helps demonstrate the value of brain preservation to the public and to potential future philanthropists who might support this program. Every research participant contributes critically to our mission of making high-quality preservation accessible to everyone.
Why doesn’t everybody sign up for this?
This really is one of our most frequently asked questions – interestingly, sometimes from people who then subsequently do not bother to sign up themselves! There are many personal reasons people have. For example, some people worry about what kind of world they might wake up to. Others have what they consider conflicting views about what happens after we die. Some simply don’t think there is any chance that revival might someday be possible, so they don’t think it is worth the slight hassle of filling out the paperwork. We respect all these viewpoints and never pressure anyone. Our goal is simply to make this option available for those who want it.
Do you have any exclusion criteria? Can anyone participate?
No, we have no predetermined exclusion criteria for the research program at Sparks Brain Preservation. There may be some very rare conditions, such as ebola, that would prevent body donation to science. However, that is very rare. In general, as long as you meet the geographic requirement and are willing to donate your body to science and tissue samples for research, you’re eligible.
Is Sparks Brain Preservation able to accept donations from individuals who have chosen Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)?
Yes, we work with individuals who choose Medical Aid in Dying. In fact, MAID cases are expected to result in the highest quality preservation because we can be prepared and ready at the exact time needed. If you’re considering MAID and want to participate in our research program, please contact us early in your planning process so we can coordinate effectively with your medical team.
How long will this free program be available?
We understand this is an important concern, because you want to know the program will be there when you need it. The good news is that we have been providing free or very low-cost preservation services at our organization for over 10 years already, demonstrating our long-term commitment to accessibility.
For new participants, we expect to keep accepting new people into the free research program for at least the next decade, based on our current philanthropic funding. We hope to secure additional philanthropic funding for this program in the future, but that depends on whether enough people agree with the idea that making brain preservation accessible for all is an urgent humanitarian goal. So, while we cannot guarantee the program will be able to accept new participants forever, we’re working hard to do so. If the free program ever needed to close to new participants, we would provide advance notice so that they could make alternative arrangements.
Long-term storage is completely separate from the initial preservation procedure. Our commitment here is absolute. Once your brain is preserved (whether through the free program or paid services), we will maintain it indefinitely to the best of our ability. This storage commitment never expires and does not depend on the research program continuing. Even if we stopped offering free preservations tomorrow, everyone already preserved would remain in our care permanently.
Can I move to Oregon just to qualify for this program?
Yes. As long as you’re living in Oregon within 250 miles of Salem at the time of your legal death, you qualify. If you’re considering this, you are welcome to contact us to discuss the logistics.
Do I need to live in Oregon in order to sign up for the program?
No. You can sign up from anywhere, and we encourage you to do so if you’re planning to move to Oregon in the future. This gives you time to complete the paperwork without rush and make sure that you are already enrolled when you arrive. However, you must be living within 250 miles of Salem, Oregon at the time of your legal death to receive the free preservation services. If you sign up but never move to Oregon, you would still be eligible for one of our other services wherever you are. See Services.
What happens to the tissue samples you collect?
The two small samples (approximately 1 cubic centimeter each) from the cervical spinal cord are transferred to our partner research organization, Apex Neuroscience. They will undergo detailed analysis including electron microscopy to measure preservation quality at the subcellular level. This helps us measure the extent to which key structures remain morphologically intact during the preservation process. Our plan is for these results to be published in scientific journals to help advance the field.
What if I am already signed up for paid preservation services?
If you are within our geographic area and meet the criteria, you can switch to the free research program if you so desire. The preservation methods used are the same. You would just be contributing to research through the tissue samples. Contact us if you have any questions about this.
Can family members make this decision for a loved one?
Yes, through our Next of Kin Preservation Forms. If your loved one expressed a desire for brain preservation but was not able to complete the enrollment themselves, family members with the legal authority can enroll them in the program.
How does Sparks Brain Preservation maintain confidentiality?
We strictly adhere to confidentiality guidelines for personal information. Your privacy is protected throughout the research process, and only anonymized data will be used for scientific publications.
If I enroll, are there any steps I should take?
We request that you please inform your loved ones about your decision to donate your body to science and provide them with our contact information. This makes sure that they can reach out to us immediately after your legal death. Initiating the preservation process as soon as possible is essential to maximize the structural preservation quality.
How long after legal death are cases able to be accepted?
There is no absolute time limit. However, preservation quality decreases over time, so we always aim to begin as quickly as possible. Every situation is evaluated individually. Even if there has been a significant delay, we encourage you to contact us, and we will give our honest assessment and do our best to help. Of course, it is essential to keep the body cool (refrigerated) during any delay.
What if I change my mind after signing up?
Yes, you can withdraw from the program at any time before your preservation. There are no penalties or obligations for withdrawing.
If I am interested in supporting free preservation in my area, what can I do?
If you are a philanthropic donor interested in expanding this program, for example in other regions, please contact us! We would love to explore possibilities for making free preservation more widely available, either with our organization or others. Your support could help make this option available to more people who might not otherwise have had access.