I have just heard that Eric’s funeral will not take place within the usual timescale as he donated his body to medical research.

Eric’s wife, Sheila, told me – “In 1996 he donated his body to our local teaching hospital in Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre. Eric had vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. I was told that vascular dementia normally has remission periods, where the patient would "plateau" for a while, before taking another dip, whereas Alzheimer's can take 12 years from diagnosis to death.  The brain, therefore, became the most interesting part of his body from a research point of view.  How had he deteriorated so rapidly?  So the brain will be kept for up to 10 years for research to see if there are any markers or indications as to why this should be. The remainder will have a total post mortem, performed by a young woman doctor who’s taking her finals.”

Eventually Eric’s body will be returned to the family for burial or cremation, and I’ll post any funeral arrangements at that time.

Sheila also said that either Alzheimer's Research UK, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB22 5LR or Alzheimer's Society, Devon House, 58 St. Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LB would welcome any donations in memory of Eric.