Cancer Research .... a bad memory

I was just remembering a good friend who was lost to cancer 6 years ago. She was a 15 year survivor, beating the odds several times as a working mom raising two children. The disease finally took advantage, spreading about, and massive treatments could no longer contain it. Debilitated and exhausted, she still fought every step of the way. Finally bedridden, it was a joint family decision to stop all medications and let the cancer take its course and end the suffering. It also permitted just enough time for family and friends who wished to share a final farewell.

Her choice in death was to be cremated. Also during her survivor years, she participated in various cancer activities, helping raise awareness. But her final goal to help research went unheeded. It was a bequest to donate her body to cancer research. The family was dumbfounded ....... with all the talk of cancer research, nobody wanted the body. The family was very disappointed. Her final request to help research could not be honored. Only one place expressed an interest, but the family would have had to pay thousands of dollars in expenses for this "research opportunity". They declined the offer.

 I will never understand cancer research, or what is involved. Maybe they were wrong to think that donating a victim would be beneficial. Has anyone else had any experiences with such a thing? Would donating a body actually help their research? Sorry if this is a tough question/decision for anyone.