Mom-of-two's corpse dissected on TV in 'world first'

Warning: This article may contain content that some viewers will find distressing.

A mom-of-two has recently made history after becoming the first woman to be dissected on TV after donating her body to science.

Toni Crews, 30, from the United Kingdom, passed away two years ago after she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in the tear gland that ultimately led to her having her right eye removed.

Now, in a world first, her body has been dissected on TV.

My Dead Body, which premiered on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom last night, gave us an intimate look at Crews' body being cut up in a series of educational workshops intended to educate viewers on the "science of cancer."

Professor Claire Smith, the head of anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, led the workshops for a group of medical students, giving them a look at how cancer can affect the natural cycles in one's body.

Watch Professor Smith give her own insight into the documentary below:

As per The Telegraph, which described the documentary as "remarkable",  students, both in the room and watching on a screen, "were able to see the tumors inside Crews' body and to track the course of the cancer," with the team finding "over 100 small tumors in her abdomen alone."

This show wasn't for the faint-hearted, that's for sure.

In one segment, the top of Crews' skull was removed to reveal the brain within, which provoked gasps and grimaces from the onlooking students. More than just the visuals, it was the not-so-subtle cracking sound of the skull that sent a shiver down the audience's spines.

While it might sound gruesome to some, the show was intended for educational purposes and has now become a crucial part of scientific history.

Prior to the show's debut, Professor Smith described Crews' body donation as a "gift," adding that "it doesn’t end with this documentary either; her body will be used to educate our medical students and doctors for years to come."

After watching the documentary, social media users took to Twitter to leave their reviews, with many hailing it as a "fascinating" watch.

"My Dead Body on C4... The strength her family must have found to go ahead with this. An incredibly brave thing to do. Well done to everyone involved in the production too, sensitive and carefully told. What an inspiration you are Toni," wrote one user.

Another added: "This My Dead Body on Channel 4 is fascinating! What a remarkable young woman, donating her body for medical science, to help others learn about her disease, just wow."

Others also commended Crews' parents and their courage during this historical milestone.

Speaking to the Guardian, her dad Jason said: "Both in life and death, Toni put others first.

"It was easier to watch than I expected. And it didn’t look like Toni, so I could mentally distance myself from it."

Her mom Jo also added: "It’s the more personal side that gets me: the minute’s silence where the students say thank you to Toni; where one of the medical team cries her eyes out.

"The fact that Toni made this journey, yet touched so many people regardless." she continued. "It’s what she wanted - to be a force for good. And soon, she’ll do that for millions of others."

My Dead Body is now available to watch on Channel 4 in the UK.

Featured Image Credit: Tetra Images, LLC / Alamy