When Josette Agius’s funeral cortege leaves Santa Venera parish church this afternoon it will not head to a cemetery but to the University of Malta. As she wished, Ms Agius's body is being donated to the anatomy department for teaching and research purposes.

George Agius yesterday described his daughter’s decision to bequeath her body to the university as her “last act of altruism”.

Ms Agius, 49, died last week after relapsing with a liver condition. She entered into a contract with the university five years ago to donate her body just before undergoing a liver transplant in the UK. The operation was successful but last month she visited hospital for a regular check up when doctors gave her the bad news. She never left hospital.

Mr Agius only got to know recently about his daughter’s wish. “It was hard dealing with the process but I had to respect my daughter’s wish and ensure it was fulfilled.” Describing it as “a noble gesture”, Mr Agius said that even in death his daughter wanted to continue being of service to others.

Josette Agius is a former teacher at Guardian Angel School. She worked with disabled children who, according to her father, she considered as her own. Her selfless commitment to help others was evident when she took her younger brother Christopher under her wing 18 years ago after their mother’s death. 

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