News - Alcor - Page 70

Training Update

September 13, 2006/in Training /by alcor

Our most recent training session was held in southern California, with all
the regular members attending plus one new addition. Course curriculum
included our biohazard and communicable disease lecture, airway management
(including Combi-tube), medications, intraosseous IV placement training,
and manual cardiopulmonary support practice.

Our next stabilization training session will be held in Austin, Texas
later this month (September 23-24). We’ll be training both old and new
members of Alcor’s stabilization team, and are expecting to see a further
expansion of individuals available for standbys and stabilizations in this
newly-forming region.

We have also drafted our 2007 training schedule, which will continue our
policy of expanding into new regions. In addition to those regions
receiving training this year, (southern and northern California, Nevada,
Florida, Texas and the United Kingdom) we’re attempting to expand our
training program next year to include Australia, eastern and western
Canada, New England, and the Pacific Northwest.

We’re also scheduled to hold a Red Cross CPR class for local members and
anyone left in town after the upcoming conference. The class will be held
at the Alcor facility on Monday, October 9 at 10:00 am and will last about
four hours. Anyone interested in attending any of the upcoming training
sessions should RSVP to our Readiness Coordinator, Michelle Fry
().

Odds and Ends

September 13, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

Last Minute Cases
This month we have dealt with 2 possible last minute cases. Both of these
presented problems, one with significant post-mortem times, and so were
turned down. They were both “post mortem”. These sorts of call seem to
have the uncanny habit of coming on the weekend or late Friday. One of
the above mentioned calls came on Labor Day.

Wealth Preservation Trust Progress
We completed another round of answers on the draft for our trust attorney.
The draft should be made available for the Board and our local counsel
before the October conference. We’re still hoping to have one of the
presentations at the conference be on this wealth preservation issue and
the state of the trust development, but have not yet heard a definitive
answer. We’re holding a 30 minute speaking slot open for this purpose, and
should have an answer on this by the end of next week.

Pet Cryopreservation
The companion animal of one of our members was placed into our care when
the cat died suddenly. As is often the case with pet care, this was a
straight freeze; and the procedure was carried out with no complications.
Alcor now has 30 pets in its care.

Alcor Training Sessions

September 12, 2006/in Training /by alcor

Location: Austin, Texas at the office of Steve Jackson at 3735 Promontory Point Drive,Austin, TX 78744
Date(s): September 23-24, 2006
Time(s): Training will be held from 9am-4pm both days. There will also be a Saturday evening dinner open to anyone interested in meeting Alcor members.
Location: Laughlin, Nevada at the Riverside Casino
Date(s): October 19-20, 2006
Time(s): Training will be held from 9am-4pm both days. There will also be an evening dinner on Friday, October 20th, open to anyone interested in meeting Alcor members.
Location: Northern California (Berkeley) at Café de la Paz, 1600 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709 (510-843-0662)
Date(s): November 11-12, 2006
Time(s): Training will be held from 9am-4pm both days. There will also be a Saturday evening dinner open to anyone interested in meeting Alcor members.
Location: United Kingdom at the home of Alan Sinclair, #4 Mt. Caburn Crescent, Peacehaven, E. Sussex, BN10 8DW UK
Date(s): May 5-7th, 2007
Time(s): Training will be held from 9am-5pm on Friday & Saturday, 9am-2pm on Monday. There will also be a Saturday evening dinner open to anyone interested in meeting Alcor members.
Contact Michelle Fry, Alcor Readiness Coordinator, to RSVP to either the training or the Saturday evening dinner:
(480) 905-1906, ext. 104

Engineering and Research Developments

September 12, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

Significant progress is being made in the construction and programming the new whole body perfusion system. Orders have been made with local contractors for components that will not be made in house.
This system represents a significant improvement both our current whole body clinical capability and our research prospects. In particular, improved data collection will increase our ability to learn from cases, and improved cooling will greatly reduce exposure to cryoprotectant at the higher temperatures at which it is most toxic. This is one of the projects mentioned in the fund raising letter for the Bina and Martine Rothblatt Matching Grant program, and would not be possible without their support and the support of all who made matching contributions.

Annual Board Meeting Results

September 11, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

On Saturday, September 9, Alcor conducted its annual board meeting. All directors and officers were re-elected.

The results were as follows:
Board of Directors
Saul Kent
Jerry Lemler, MD
Ralph Merkle, PhD
Carlos Mondragon
Michael Riskin, CPA, PhD (Chairman)
Michael R. Seidl, PhD, JD
Stephen J. Van Sickle
Brian Wowk, PhD

Officers
President/Executive Director
Stephen J.Van Sickle
Vice President
Michael Riskin, CPA, PhD
Secretary/Treasurer
Joseph Hovey

Reminder: Board Meeting Saturday, Sept 9

September 7, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

This Saturdy, we are having our annual general Board Meeting here at the Alcor facility in Scottsdale. Five of the eight Board members will be attending in person, so this is a great opportunity to meet them and grill them with your questions, comments, and concerns. The meeting begins at 11:00 am Arizona time, and lunch will be served.

Alcor Conference: Rates increase 09/01

August 31, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

The 6th Alcor Conference
October 6-8
Scottsdale Marriott in Scottsdale, Arizona
REGISTER NOW to take advantage of the reduced rate of $395. Rates increase September 1st.
Is it possible to stop aging? Will nanomedicine and medical nanorobots dramatically extend the human lifespan? Can cryopreserved human beings be revived in the future and what impact would result? Join us to hear distinguished speakers present their provocative insights into anti-aging, life extension research, nanotechnology, organ preservation, cryonics and more.

Alcor Conference: Sponsorships Needed

August 31, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

Alcor’s annual conference is approaching, and it is our hope that you will join us as a sponsor in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Scottsdale Marriott. Our conference theme this year is “An Inside Look at the Science and Medicine of Tomorrow” and the audience is expected to be comprised of 200 or more people. We appreciate your consideration of acting as a sponsor to further the objectives of the non-profit Alcor Foundation.

Make your sponsorship donation today by contacting me toll-free at 877-462-5267 ext. 113, as sponsorship opportunities may reserve quickly. To learn more about the conference, visit www.alcor.org.

Contact: Jennifer Chapman
Email:
Phone: 877-462-5267 ext. 113

SPONSOR LEVELS
Platinum – $15,000 (max. 2 sponsors)
Sponsorship of the dinner on Saturday, October 7th with these benefits:
• Recognition in marketing materials
• Full-size ad in conference program
• One page flyer or brochure of your choice in conference bags
• Two complimentary conference registrations and hotel rooms
• On-site sign and verbal recognition throughout conference
• On-site exhibition, if desired
• Thank you and ad in Cryonics magazine following the conference

Gold – $10,000
Sponsorship of opening reception on Friday, October 6th with these benefits:
• Recognition in marketing materials
• Half-page ad in conference program
• One page flyer or brochure of your choice in conference bags
• One complimentary conference registration and hotel room
• On-site sign and verbal recognition throughout conference
• On-site exhibition, if desired
• Thank you and ad in Cryonics magazine following the conference

Silver – $5,000
Sponsorship of the barbeque on Sunday, October 8th with these benefits:
• Recognition in marketing materials
• Quarter page ad in conference program
• One page flyer or brochure of your choice in conference bags
• One complimentary conference registration (hotel separate)
• On-site sign and verbal recognition throughout conference
• Thank you and ad in Cryonics magazine following the conference

Bronze – $2,500
Sponsorship of breaks or Saturday luncheon with these benefits:
• Recognition in marketing materials
• Business card size ad in conference program
• On-site sign recognition at events
• Thank you and ad in Cryonics magazine following the conference

Copper – $1,000
Available at select times during the conference with these benefits:
• Recognition in marketing materials
• On-site sign recognition
• Thank you in Cryonics magazine following the conference

All Contributions are Welcome. Smaller donations will be recognized in
Cryonics magazine following the conference

Cryonics Magazine

August 30, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

The Fall issue of Cryonics magazine will focus on ethics. We are seeking an Alcor member to profile who can talk about an ethical dilemma that was faced relevant to the decision to become an Alcor member. We will conduct a 30-minute interview by phone, and we ask that 4 or more photos be supplied for the article.

Anyone who is interested can contact Jennifer Chapman for more information (, 877-462-5267 ext. 113). We are also interested in hearing from anyone interested in writing articles for this or future issues.

Watch Alcor News for announcements about upcoming themes.

Letter to the Editor

August 23, 2006/in Announcements /by alcor

In his guest editorial, former Alcor President Steve Bridge talks about
why there aren’t more medical professionals involved in cryonics.
Isn’t it because they are taught in all their education that people who
are clinically dead are just that, dead? And that there is no sense
doing anything else for them? If that is what their mindset is,
isn’t asking them to participate in cryonics like asking them to
participate in the activities of morticians preparing bodies for
funerals? At least that’s how they would see it, right?

Steve Bridge Replies:
Yes, that is certainly part of the problem; but that is the part of the problem that we already understand. “Dead is Dead” has been the rigid misunderstanding of most people in all fields for centuries at least, in spite of frequent cases in contemporary medicine where the label of “dead” was misapplied. However, most of the medical professionals who DO understand this point still do not get involved in helping with cryopreservation procedures or research. We need to understand how to break through that next level of resistance.

Jennifer Chapman also comments:
Thank you for your comments. Cryonics does require a shift in the
perception of death. A person who has a heart attack and is “dead” in the
clinical sense but is revived using CPR or a defibrillator was not dead at
all. If medical professionals are willing to reconsider the standard
definition of death used today, they may also see cryonics patients as
potentially viable, only farther in the future.