Alcor had another historic case! This case was the second Death with Dignity case for Alcor. Member A-2705 contacted Alcor a couple months in advance of his planned Death with Dignity and he proactively participated with case planning so that he could receive the best possible cryopreservation.

Alcor, Suspended Animation (SA), and International Cryomedicine Experts (ICE) spent months planning with the medical team, hospice providers, and the member to prepare for the best possible outcome. The family hired an RN to pronounce time of death, despite it not being required in the State of Washington for those who choose Death with Dignity. Alcor, SA, and ICE all deployed together to the member’s residence in preparation for his Death with Dignity plan.

ICE took lead on the case and the FCP procedure, Alcor took charge of logistics, and Suspended Animation provided personnel and stabilization support. As soon as the member was pronounced by the member’s RN, everyone sprang into action covering all the initial stabilization procedures. All parties worked on a different task, ensuring that stabilization went smoothly until the transport to the funeral home was complete. The Field Neuro Cryoprotection (FCP) procedure was started promptly in the field by ICE after arriving at the funeral home, which helps prevent long periods of cold ischemia during transport.

ICE said of the case, “This case proved to be an excellent opportunity to collaborate with Suspended Animation and Alcor personnel. It demonstrated our willingness to share information to promote the overall improvement of SST and FCP to the cryonics community.” There were many individual parts of this case that made it go smoothly and Alcor appreciates ICE’s willingness to share techniques and offer training on the FCP protocol. Sayer Johanson, COO of SA, said, “This case was a well-coordinated effort between all three organizations. We look forward to working with all parties again in the future.”

Alcor thanks both SA and ICE for such amazing initiative and teamwork and we are grateful to the member and his family who kept us informed in the months leading up to this case. Below is an excerpt of a statement from member A-2705 that he provided to Alcor before his Death with Dignity:

Be on the lookout for A-2705’s full statement that will be featured in an upcoming issue of Cryonics Magazine.

I am happy to be able to make two big announcements regarding Sarah Kelly. First, she has been promoted to a new position of Case Logistics Manager. She will still be completing all of the same job duties, but this title embodies all of the hard work she does for Alcor in a more comprehensive way. She truly deserves this new title and she continues to fully commit herself to Alcor’s values. Second, Sarah has been elected to serve on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. This aligns perfectly with Sarah’s interest in animal health and welfare, as well as her work history of being a veterinarian assistant. I am so proud of all of the amazing work Sarah does for Alcor, and I look forward to all of her amazing contributions in the coming years.

One of the benefits of Associate Membership is receiving Cryonics magazine. If you are already a member you can refer a friend.