Mother-of-two who died from rare eye cancer aged 30 is DISSECTED for Channel 4

A mother-of-two who died from a rare eye cancer aged 30 has been dissected for a Channel 4 show in a UK television first.

Toni Crews was forced to have her eye removed after she was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that spread across her face.

She then raised awareness for her illness by sharing photos documenting the tumour’s spread on her Instragram page blingkofaneye_. 

Though the mother from Kent tragically died in 2020, she bravely gifted her body to science to help fight the war on the disease – allowing her body to be dissected in Channel 4’s programme My Dead Body.

In the documentary, which will be broadcast on British television next month, Toni can be heard narrating her own story through the use of to voice-replicating ­technology that weaves in diary entries and letters she wrote to family and friends.

Describing how the decision to donate her body made her feel happy, she says: ‘This gives me peace for the future’.

Toni Crews was forced to have her eye removed after she was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that spread across her face

She then raised awareness for her illness by sharing photos documenting the tumour’s spread on her Instragram page blingkofaneye_ 

Though the mother from Kent tragically died in 2020, she bravely gifted her body to science to help fight the war on the disease – allowing her body to be dissected in Channel 4’s programme My Dead Body

The Mirror reports that the programme shows  students watching Professor Claire Smith, head of anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, lead a series of workshops in which different parts of Toni’s body are examined.

Prof Smith admits she’s ‘nervous’, having never performed a dissection quite like Toni’s before. 

She explains: ‘We have been so privileged to explore the journey of cancer through the incredible donation made by Toni.

Though she tragically died in 2020, she bravely gifted her body to science to help fight the war on the disease – allowing her body to be dissected in Channel 4’s programme My Dead Body

‘As part of this ­documentary, we were able to invite more than 1,000 students, including nurses, paramedics and ­neuroscientists, who wouldn’t normally get to learn about this one in a million cancer.

‘Toni’s gift of body donation doesn’t end with this documentary either. Her body will be used to educate our medical students and doctors for years to come.’

Channel 4 commissioning editor Anna Miralis said: ‘By donating her body to public display, the first of its kind in the UK, Toni Crews has given us an extraordinary and unique look into the journey of the disease. 

‘While the ­presence of her voice in the form of diary entries and letters and social media posts ensures the film is filled with all the warmth and ­generosity that characterised Toni’s inspiring life.’

My Dead Body comes 20 years after Channel 4’s Autopsy programme, when Professor Gunther Von Hagens carried out a post mortem on a 72-year-old German man.