By Staff Reporter
The University of Zimbabwe’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has concluded the medical study of the late Rosalie Chigariro, who in 2021 became the first-ever black Zimbabwean to volunteer her remains for medical research.
Her body was in July 2021 donated to the Department of Biomedical Sciences (Anatomy Unit) for the advancement of medical education, as had always been her wish.
Over the weekend, in a ceremony marked by quiet dignity and gratitude, members of the Anatomy Unit, students, and family members gathered to pay tribute to Chigariro, whose selfless act contributed to the training of hundreds of medical students over four years.
Her generosity gave future doctors invaluable hands-on understanding of the human body, lessons no textbook could ever replace.
In addition to medical students, paramedics’ degree programs also benefited from her extraordinary gift. These programs include nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech therapy, and pharmacy, whose students gained essential anatomical knowledge through her donation,
Speaking at the ceremony, chairperson of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at UZ, Josephine Chidaushe, expressed the university’s deep appreciation for the rare and noble contribution.
“The gift of body donation is one of the most profound forms of service to humanity. Through her selflessness, Ms. Chigariro became a silent teacher, one who helped nurture the next generation of doctors, surgeons, and health professionals,” she said.
Though uncommon in African culture, Rosalie made this decision thoughtfully and purposefully. Having battled health challenges since birth — when doctors told her parents she would not live beyond a few months — she grew up understanding both the fragility and the miracle of life. Her choice to donate her body was not one of defiance, but of deep gratitude: a final gift to help others live, learn, and heal.
There was deep symbolism in her final resting place at Chishawasha Mission, the very grounds where she spent her high school years. Surrounded by faith and learning, it was there she first discovered her sense of purpose — and there, she now rests in peace.
Her family expressed pride in her courage and her lifelong devotion to education and humanity.
“We are deeply proud of her strength and the legacy she leaves behind. Today we say goodbye, not in sorrow, but in gratitude,” said her sister, Petronilla.
Among those whose lives were touched by her legacy was Michelle van der Heiden, a Part Five medical student, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn through Ms. Chigariro’s gift, describing it as “a humbling and transformative experience that will forever shape how we serve patients.”
Body donations to the University of Zimbabwe’s Anatomy Unit play a vital role in advancing medical science, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Her legacy lives on in the knowledge she inspired, the healers she helped shape, and the lives her courage will continue to touch for years to come.
