Alcor News

by David Flude - CUK Organiser (edited by Veronique Struis)

On May 3 & 4 British support group, Cryonics UK (CUK) held their annual meeting as part of a 2 day training meeting. Both CI and Alcor members attended the meeting, which marked big changes in the British organisation. After 18 years as Training Manager, Alan Sinclair decided to step down as Training Manager, but he is staying on as CUK President & Team Consultant. To thank him for his long-term contribution Alan was made a Lifetime President of CUK.

During the annual meeting CUK introduced a new policy of involving all members in the decision making process and increasing the number of committee officers managing the CUK. The committee has been nearly doubled & the following officers were elected:

President for Life - Alan Sinclair
Secretary & Webmaster - Mark Walker
Treasurer - Graham Hipkiss
Membership Manager - Mark Willis
Organiser - David Flude
Team Leader - Mark Walker
2nd Team Leader - TBA

The officers gave their yearly reports during the meeting in which Mark Walker outlined his plans for new sub committees to empower ordinary members, Alan Sinclair highlighted one of the main problems with the current transport vehicle, Mark Willis gave a description of the new CUK Membership database he has created and David Flude suggested that the whole emphasis of the group should change to gain momentum from the Life Extension movement, rather than just as a Cryonics Standby Team.

After the annual meeting Mark Willis and his fiancée Jan, using her experience as a Hospital Nurse, guided the group through Communicable Diseases training module.

On the second day, a complete emergency response was practiced, starting with the first phone call, to loading the CUK Ambulance with Ice, Meds, Equipment and driving down the road, to assembling the portable ice bath, lifting Randy the Dummy into it, placing the squid, ice & thumper, etc.

Part of the new policy also has been the re-introduction of social activities and talks. David Flude and Bill Reeves led off with “New Objection to Autopsy Cards & Donor USB Devices”, for which thanks go to Alcor employee Mike Perry and David Pizer of the Society for Venturism for supplying us with these cards. The card has already been useful in one case where a member went into a Glasgow hospital for a week long check up, and the Nurse not only loaded it onto the ward PC but seemed genuinely interested and asked his permission to keep a permanent copy.

David Flude gave another talk on the UK transport options, outlining the choices as CUK standby Team, F.A. Albin & Sons, Ambulance Services, or Hybrid Teams led by a Paid Professional, such as a Retired Doctor or Veterinarian. David singled out CI’s Representatives in the UK - F.A. Albin & Sons as a unique ongoing experiment to popularise Cryonics, and praised Albins for their professionalism, suggesting much closer contact & co-operation in the future.

A further talk on “Life Extension & the Growth of Cryonics” gave guesstimates of the past, present (around 1,700 members) & future growth of the whole worldwide Cryonics movement. The final talk on Sunday morning was much more enjoyable & relaxing because it was called “Wine can Extend Your Life”. Focusing on well known Centenarians who drank wine such as Jean Calment who lived to 122, and then moving on to the numerous live extending properties of red wine and its chemical derivative Resveratrol, David quoted a lot of recent research from Harvard Medical School, Italy, France & Denmark that supports moderate but regular consumption of some Red Wines such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. This all was put into practice with several bottles of red wine and a delicious lunch courtesy of Sylvia Sinclair.

The Agenda for the next 12 months has been fixed. All meetings will be in Peacehaven, except the September meeting in the West Country which has to be decided. The next meeting will be in September (dates to be confirmed), December 13 & 14, then in 2009 the Easter weekend.

For more information about Cryonics UK please contact David Flude the CUK Organizer at
david.flude114@googlemail.com

Posted by D'Bora at 5:07 PM | Permalink

The Methuselah Foundation presents Aging: The Disease, The Cure, The Implications, a panel discussion featuring world-renowned scientists and advocates of stem cell and regenerative medicine research, including Dr. Aubrey de Grey, the Foundation’s Chairman and Chief Science Officer.

Panelists will discuss the scientific progress and implications of eliminating all age-related disease, disability, suffering and death, as well as public policy as it pertains to relevant scientific research legislation including the passing of Prop 71.

Admission to Aging 2008 is free, with advance registration required at www.mfoundation.org/Aging2008.

WHEN:
Friday, June 27, 2008
Complimentary Reception - 4:00pm
Panel Discussion - 5:00pm
Dinner w/ Speakers - 8:00pm

WHERE:
Royce Hall, UCLA
340 Royce Dr. in Los Angeles

WHO:
Presented by the Methuselah Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to extending the healthy human lifespan. Founded in 2002 by entrepreneur David Gobel and gerontologist Dr. Aubrey de Grey, the Methuselah Foundation funds two major programs: the Mprize, a multimillion dollar research prize, and SENS, a detailed engineering plan to repair aging-related damage. For more information, visit www.mfoundation.org.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Aubrey de Grey – Chairman and Chief Science Officer, Methuselah Foundation
Dr. Bruce Ames – Professor of Biochemistry, UC Berkeley
Dr. William Haseltine – Chairman, Haseltine Global Health
Daniel Perry – Executive Director, Alliance for Aging Research
Bernard Siegel – Executive Director, Genetics Policy Institute
Dr. Gregory Stock – Director, UCLA Program on Medicine, Technology and Society
Dr. Michael West – Founder, Geron and Advanced Cell Technology

For media credentials or to schedule interviews:
Tracy Garcia/Arielle Wolin
323.988.4662/323.988.4687
methuselahpr@carryonpr.com

Posted by Jennifer Chapman at 10:49 AM | Permalink

On June 7th and 8th, 2008, the Alcor board and management held a 2-day strategic planning meeting at the Alcor facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. Many general issues relating to the organization were discussed. A major topic of discussion was a funding offer brought forward by board member, Saul Kent. The offer is for the Life Extension Foundation, the Millers, and Edward and Vivian Thorp to each contribute $150,000 a year to Alcor for three years, totaling $1,350,000. These contributions are to fund improvements in cryopreservation case readiness, a new Standby Coordinator staff position, and an Executive Director search and salary support. Fuller details are below. The offer, with its associated conditions, was accepted by a majority vote of the Alcor board, with Steve Van Sickle and Carlos Mondragon opposing.

Also at this meeting, Tanya Jones was appointed Executive Director of Alcor, Jennifer Chapman was appointed Chief Operating Officer, and Steve Van Sickle was appointed Chief Technical Officer. Steve Van Sickle stepped down from the Alcor board, and Carlos Mondragon stepped down from the Alcor board and Alcor Patient Care Trust board. Michael Riskin was appointed as the new board representative on the Patient Care Trust board.

Board and management express their gratitude to Steve Van Sickle and Carlos Mondragon for their many years of service on the board, and to Steve Van Sickle for his past three years of service as Executive Director. The board also congratulates and wishes well Tanya Jones, Jennifer Chapman, Steve Van Sickle, and Michael Riskin in their new roles. The board also thanks Jerry Lemler for chairing the 2-day strategic meeting.

Alcor especially thanks the Life Extension Foundation, the Millers, and Edward and Vivian Thorp for their generous offer of financial support for improvements at Alcor, and Saul Kent for bringing the offer forward. The resolution adopted by the board accepting the funding proposal under the terms it was offered is below:

In response to a proposal by three major benefactors delivered to the Alcor board of directors by Saul Kent on June 7, 2008, we adopted these resolutions solely with respect to the use of $150,000 per donor per year for three years, totaling $1,350,000:

1. A comprehensive search for a new Executive Director will be undertaken.

2. A comprehensive search for a full-time Standby Coordinator will be initiated. In addition to managing standbys, this person would be responsible for working with others at Alcor to improve readiness for cases and would write detailed case reports for every Alcor cryopreservation patient in a timely manner.

3. Donations are to be accepted for improving readiness capability at Alcor for cryopreservation cases. In order to encourage donors to support this development, the following procedure will be followed:

First, written proposals, including budgets, will be submitted to the Alcor R&D committee for approval.

If the proposal involves developing new equipment, the next steps will be building and testing a prototype of this new equipment. Only after this prototype has been approved by the R&D committee will money be provided to construct or purchase additional units. The R&D committee is charged with evaluating all available options before making decisions regarding readiness equipment.

4. Upon payment by the donors of the needed funds, Alcor will give a 10% raise to all staff members.

5. All parts of the plan shall be implemented in a timely fashion.

6. Alcor will seek candidates for both positions who are mutually agreeable to the Alcor board of directors and the donors.

7. Alcor will develop a comprehensive fund raising and revenue-generation plan. Saul Kent will undertake to develop a first draft.

Posted by Jennifer Chapman at 12:54 PM | Permalink