Alcor News

In order to continue to advance the technology and emergency response capabilities of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, we are pleased to announce two available positions. These positions are an exciting opportunity to participate at the frontiers of current scientific knowledge.

The Alcor Foundation seeks a Technical Coordinator and a Readiness Coordinator for its dedicated team in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Technical Coordinator is responsible for designing and operating the equipment necessary to perform human cryopreservations and for planning short-term and long-term technology strategies in conjunction with experts in the field. The Readiness Coordinator will play an essential role in maintaining logistical readiness for cryonics cases and assisting with the stabilization and transport of cryonics patients.

Posted by D'Bora at 5:23 PM | Permalink

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 3, 2010, at the Alcor facility (7895 East Acoma Drive in Scottsdale, AZ) at 11:00 AM (MT). Members and the public are encouraged to attend.

Posted by D'Bora at 5:18 PM | Permalink

Team Training
The Terasem Response Team will have their annual refresher course in early April. Last year, their training was held at Alcor in Scottsdale, AZ and the team learned their skills on our in-house equipment. Now that they have a complete response kit of their own, they will be able to practice using their own equipment, in their own environment. In conjunction with the training, the Cryonics Technology Progress Conference will be held, where the team will have an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency to the general cryonics community. This interaction between a professional response team and cryonicists should create greater understanding of the progress that has been made in response capabilities and help foster increased confidence in the overall probability that our patients will receive a quality stabilization and cool down.

Member Watch List
One of the tools that we use to support Alcor's Orange Member Watch List is our strategic planning room. Within this room is a map of the United States that visually shows the location of every member; special "at risk" members; and their proximity to each of our response teams throughout the country. Each of our members is represented by a white pin, a member who is facing a significant medical event is a large orange pin. And our teams are identified by a large blue pin. These visual cues provide us with a global perspective of our allocated resources and potential responses. Any of Alcor staff can walk into the room and immediately see where possible activity might occur.

Alcor Northern-California Meeting
This meeting will be held on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 5pm. There will be a potluck following the meeting so bring a dish to share and a swimsuit if you want to sauna/hot-tub.

For more info and directions please contact Mark Galeck at mark_galeck@pacbell.net

Posted by D'Bora at 5:10 PM | Permalink

Membership
Alcor had 913 members on its Emergency Responsibility List. Three (3) memberships were approved during this month, no memberships were reinstated, three (3) memberships were cancelled and two members were cryopreserved. Overall, there was no net gain or loss of members this month.

Applicants
Alcor had 59 applicants for membership. Four (4) new applicants were added, three (3) applicants were converted to members and four (4) applicants were cancelled resulting in net loss of three (3) applicants for this month.

Information Packets
Alcor received 231 information packet requests. Eleven (11) were handed out during facility tours or from special request. The average total of 194 info packs sent per month in 2010 is compared to 188 in 2009.

Posted by D'Bora at 5:05 PM | Permalink

The New York Supreme Court has granted a motion by Alcor to amend its lawsuit against Defendants, Larry Johnson, co-author, Scott Baldyga, and publisher Vanguard Press. The lawsuit now includes dozens of defamation claims, including numerous claims related to false allegations of mistreatment of Ted Williams and other claims for defamation per se. There is an even larger volume of false and misleading statements in the book “Frozen” than encompassed by these claims, but Alcor believes that these claims are sufficient for proving in court that the book by Johnson and Baldyga was written and published maliciously with false information intended to harm Alcor. The lawsuit additionally includes causes of action for Breach of Agreements and Judgment, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Conversion (theft of company property), and Aiding and Abetting Breach of Court-Entered Judgments against Johnson.

The New York Supreme Court also approved a motion to domesticate in New York the Arizona judgment against Larry Johnson that has been in place since July 7, 2009. This domesticated judgment requires Johnson to return all materials he took from Alcor, including materials distributed to third parties, and prohibits him from making any statements about Alcor. Since this Judgment is now enforceable in New York, it will support the next request for the New York publisher to cease and desist from continued publication of the subject book and to return any Alcor materials Johnson provided to his publisher.

It should provide some reassurance to Alcor members and their families to know that courts are supporting return of records to Alcor, and that any disclosures of Alcor records by Johnson were completely inappropriate. Neither Johnson, Baldyga or Vanguard even attempted to argue “free speech” in opposition of the Motion to Domesticate the Arizona judgment.

Alcor continues to contend that Larry Johnson’s book and media appearances in October 2009 and thereafter were knowing violations of the Arizona judgment. It was admitted in court documents that Mr. Johnson knew as early as September 17, 2009, about the Arizona injunction. Notwithstanding entry of the Arizona judgment and the New York order, Johnson continues to violate both orders requiring the return of materials to Alcor.

In January, 2010, Larry Johnson and his wife failed to appear in Arizona for mandatory depositions, and they failed to appear at a court-ordered hearing in which he was required to show cause for his past and ongoing violation of the July 2009 Arizona judgment. Alcor has since filed a motion for a summary order of criminal and civil contempt against Johnson. The court ordered that Johnson and his wife explain and prove in writing their reasons for non-appearance. Johnson has once again refused to comply with court orders, and he has failed to provide any written basis for his non-appearance at depositions. In fact, counsel for Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in Arizona filed a motion to withdraw as counsel due to “unresolved issues between the clients and counsel.” Alcor awaits entry of a summary order of criminal and civil contempt against Johnson and intends to seek extradition of Johnson from Nevada to Arizona to answer for his conduct.

It has always been Alcor’s contention that Larry Johnson’s activities were not only in violation of court orders and patient privacy, but also based on lies. The addition of defamation claims to the lawsuit in New York now provides Alcor with an opportunity to prove this in a court of law.

Posted by Jennifer Chapman at 10:19 AM | Permalink

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - March 3, 2010

Mary Robbins was a member of Alcor Life Extension Foundation since 2006. Ms. Robbins left her remains to Alcor in a written directive pursuant to the Colorado Disposition of Last Remains Act. A dispute arose between the Robbins family and Alcor over whether or not Ms. Robbins cancelled her written wishes concerning her remains two days before her legal death in Colorado Springs on February 9, 2010.

On March 1, 2010, a Colorado Probate Court ruled that Ms. Robbins did not revoke her written wishes concerning her remains by signing a “change of beneficiary” document in connection with an insurance annuity. The court further ordered that Alcor shall have custody of the remains of Ms. Robbins.

Today, Alcor and the Robbins family reached an amicable settlement in which Alcor will be allowed to transport immediately the frozen remains of Ms. Robbins to Arizona to complete the process of cryopreservation. In exchange, Alcor agreed to release all potential claims to an insurance annuity in which Alcor had been the previously named beneficiary.

Jennifer Chapman, Executive Director of Alcor stated: “We are glad we were able to fulfill the wishes of our long-standing member.”

Colorado counsel for Alcor, Eric Bentley, said, “Even though Ms. Robbins long intended that the annuity go to Alcor in connection with her cryonics arrangements, Alcor decided to release any claims on the funds in the interests of seeing her wishes completed without further delay. Alcor is hopeful this compromise helps the Robbins family find peace and closure.”

Mr. Bentley went on to say, “This case was never about money. Alcor simply wanted to carry out the written desires of Ms. Robbins. Alcor is pleased the matter could be resolved quickly and in the best interests of everyone involved.”

See Copy of Actual Settlement Agreement (PDF)

About the Alcor Life Extension Foundation

Alcor Life Extension Foundation is a not-for-profit research organization founded in 1972. Alcor is the world leader in cryonics, and cryonics technology. Cryonics is the science of using ultra-cold temperatures to cryopreserve humans. The intent is that advanced scientific procedures may one day be able to revive cryopreserved humans and restore them to good health. Alcor performed its first human cryopreservation in 1976, and has engaged in long-term care of cryopreserved members in its state-of-the-art facility since then.

Among the scientific achievements of Alcor is the use of advanced cryoprotectant formulas capable of vitrification. Vitrification enables cryopreservation to take place without the damage that occurs in freezing tissue. Alcor has published papers in scientific journals documenting the quality of tissue preservation possible with its procedures, and the effects of clinical death on the brain. Alcor also sponsors research in the field of nanomedicine, a technology that may someday be used to revive cryopreserved patients.

Alcor's Board of Directors consists of successful and well-regarded scientists, physicians, attorneys and other professionals. Alcor also has a group of scientific advisors, who are leaders in the fields of medical research, nanotechnology, and computer science.

Alcor has more than 900 members and 90 cryopreserved patients. The public is welcome to attend regularly scheduled tours of the Alcor facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information about Alcor and cryonics, visit www.alcor.org.

Posted by Jennifer Chapman at 1:57 PM | Permalink

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - March 1, 2010

Mary Robbins was a member of Alcor Life Extension Foundation since 2006. She signed numerous documents expressing her desire to have her remains cryopreserved by Alcor after legal death. Ms. Robbins never executed a document which revoked her wishes concerning the donation of her remains to Alcor for cryopreservation. The Colorado Springs Probate Court decided today that a “change in beneficiary form” related to an insurance annuity was not sufficient to revoke the long-standing desire of Ms. Robbins for cryopreservation. The court upheld the desire of Ms. Robbins to be cryopreserved.

The change in beneficiary form was placed in front of Ms. Robbins two days before her death. Her mental and physical well-being are questionable at the time she executed the document. For this and other reasons, Alcor challenged the claim by her family that she had revoked her cryonics arrangements based on this document.

Colorado counsel for Alcor, Eric Bentley, said, “We are very pleased that the written desires of Ms. Robbins will be fulfilled. This case has always been about the written intentions of Ms. Robbins.”

Ms. Robbins signed seven different documents expressing her wishes for cryopreservation, including four documents her personal attorney prepared. At a hearing on Friday, the estate attorney for Ms. Robbins, various family members, and a friend of Ms. Robbins all testified that Ms. Robbins had a keen interest and desire for cryopreservation.

Ms. Robbins remains were frozen in dry ice two days after her death, and are being held in a Colorado Springs mortuary at a temperature of -79 degrees Celsius pending final legal resolution of her wishes.

See copy of Colorado Probate Court Order in this case (PDF)

About the Alcor Life Extension Foundation

Alcor Life Extension Foundation is a not-for-profit research organization founded in 1972. Alcor is the world leader in cryonics, and cryonics technology. Cryonics is the science of using ultra-cold temperatures to cryopreserve humans. The intent is that advanced scientific procedures may one day be able to revive cryopreserved humans and restore them to good health. Alcor performed its first human cryopreservation in 1976, and has engaged in long-term care of cryopreserved members in its state-of-the-art facility since then.

Among the scientific achievements of Alcor is the use of advanced cryoprotectant formulas capable of vitrification. Vitrification enables cryopreservation to take place without the damage that occurs in freezing tissue. Alcor has published papers in scientific journals documenting the quality of tissue preservation possible with its procedures, and the effects of clinical death on the brain. Alcor also sponsors research in the field of nanomedicine, a technology that may someday be used to revive cryopreserved patients.

Alcor's Board of Directors consists of successful and well-regarded scientists, physicians, attorneys and other professionals. Alcor also has a group of scientific advisors, who are leaders in the fields of medical research, nanotechnology, and computer science.

Alcor has more than 900 members and 90 cryopreserved patients. The public is welcome to attend regularly scheduled tours of the Alcor facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information about Alcor and cryonics, visit www.alcor.org.

Posted by Jennifer Chapman at 1:47 PM | Permalink