Victoria Stevens of Cryonics UK wrote the original 10 things to do before you die, the article is so informative, detailed and helpful for both new and existing cryonics members – we asked permission to publish this again on the Unusual Risks Blog … We have also added 11 and 12 relating to Life Insurance Trusts!
“Ten Things To Do Before You Die” – If you have decided that cryonics is for you then there are a number of things you should definitely do sooner rather than later. These are things that may be difficult to organise from a hospital bed and impossible from the local mortuary.
1. MAKE A DECISION and then act on it. Choosing the right cryonics service provider is not as important as simply having one ready for when you need it. By all means, take a little time to do some research but beware of prevarication – a recent patient had six weeks from diagnosis to cryo-preservation. You can always change your mind later.
2. MAKE STAND-BY ARRANGEMENTS. Finalising a contract with Alcor, Cryonics Institute or KrioRus is only one half of your cryonics arrangements. The other half should include a plan for cool down and transportation to the US or Russia- and this where Cryonics UK come in. Stand-by arrangements can be paid for by overfunding with your cryonics provider so that they can pay your standby expenses.
Without standby, a funeral director will pick you up some hours after your death, cool you down to dry ice temperature and ship you to your cryonics organisation. But if you want to avoid the worst damage to your brain it is better to have a cryonics standby team ready at your bedside to start cool down and cardio-pulmonary support immediately. Cryonics UK volunteers are also trained to administer meds and perfuse the brain to prevent ice crystal damage as quickly as possible after legal death.
3. WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR DOCTOR, stating your intention to be cryo-preserved and asking whether he or she will cooperate. You may also like to include a checklist of cryonics procedures for hospitals. Follow this with a visit and speak to your doctor about it. He or she should be impartial so if you are unhappy with the response you receive change to another doctor.
4. TELL YOUR RELATIVES. They may get a shock but it will be more of a shock if they find out immediately after your death. In such difficult circumstances they may block your preservation. Telling them beforehand gives them the chance to get used to the idea and gives you the chance to explain how important it is to you. You can reassure them that you have considered all the arguments and you still want to do it.
Having a cooperative next of kin is vital for a successful standby. He or she must be prepared to brief medical staff BEFORE death and to call CUK whenever there is a change in your health status. They must be available to permit release of your body to CUK and they must arrange for a death certificate. It may also help them to have Lasting Power of Attorney over your health and welfare. If you think your current next of kin will be unable to cope with these demands or is unsupportive of cryonics then you should consider appointing someone else. A solicitor can arrange this and can act as your next of kin if necessary.
5. WRITE A LIVING WILL. In your living will you might like to write down your wishes for what you would like to happen should you become unconscious or incapable of making your own decisions. A doctor will usually place importance on a living will.
6. WRITE A WILL. Dying intestate (without a will) slows down procedures, which could delay the life assurance pay-out to the cryonics provider, and exposes the estate to claims from family members. Specifying cryonics in your will puts your arrangements in a strong legal position. You should also rewrite your will after every significant life event, such as marriage or childbirth, to reaffirm your wishes. It is worth noting that the law protects minors: life insurance funds and other assets can be allocated to care for minors, against the wishes of the deceased, where adequate provision has not been made for their care.
Keep copies with your solicitor and the executor of your will.
7. KEEP YOUR VITAL DOCUMENTS IN ONE PLACE.
- Insurance documents and accompanying trust documents.
- Cryonics UK membership information and contact details in case of emergency.
- NHS registration number – vital for getting a death certificate
- Passport – helps avoid delays at customs, for transport overseas Will
8. TAKE STEPS TO AVOID AUTOPSY. An autopsy or post mortem examination is usually required if a person dies unexpectedly. A doctor must ask your next of kin for permission to perform a clinical autopsy but if the coroner orders a medico-legal autopsy this cannot be refused. It may be possible to negotiate with the coroner regarding how it is performed but this will cause lengthy delays.
If you have been seen by a doctor in the fourteen days before your death and your death is expected then an autopsy is not usually required. Do not delay seeking medical assistance. Religious objection to autopsy forms have no legal weight in the UK but serve to inform doctors and relatives of your wishes.
9. DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS. Make sure family and friends know who to phone in an emergency. Purchase a contact bracelet from your cryonics provider and make sure you include the contact details of your local standby team. Numbers from the Cryonics UK website can be used for this purpose.
10. KEEP IN TOUCH! Don’t forget to update your contact details with Cryonics-UK and your cryonics provider. Tell us of any serious changes to your health. Having some warning of a member who may require our services helps us to plan for the individual circumstances of the case. If we are not contacted until after death we may not reach you in time to perform perfusion with a cryo-protectant. People who plan for their stand-by tend to be the people who achieve the best preservation.
Pay us a visit as well as your membership fee. You may have decided that training to attend an emergency is not for you but there may be other ways you can contribute a little of your time. Cryonics UK is a SELF help group and the more our members put in the more we all gain.
Please contact us for further information on any of the issues raised in this document.
11. (Added by Unusual Risks) Be sure to inform your trustees who your Life Assurance company is and have the contact details for their claims department, with your policy. Remember head offices and company premises change periodically, so it’s worth checking the correspondence you receive to make sure they haven’t moved and the contact numbers are correct.
12. (Added by Unusual Risks) Check the trustees on your absolute trust are still able to perform their duties and are still current. Although the beneficiary of the trust cannot be altered it is possible to add or change trustees. Unusual Risks have done this recently for a client, who needed to make amendments.
Unusual Risks are the UK’s leading financial advisers offering specialist advice on Life Insurance for the purpose of funding Cryonics.
Formore information on Cryonics and Insurance in the UK you can contact Unusual Risks by phone on 0845 474 3075. Email atEnquiries@unusualrisks.co.ukor visit us online atwww.cryonicsinsurance.co.uk
Unusual Risks are the approved Insurance agents in the United Kingdom for both Alcor Life Extension Foundationwww.alcor.org and The Cryonics Institute www.cryonics.org
People in the United Kingdom wanting to know more about the subject of Cryonics should contact Cryonics UK at www.cryonics-uk.org