CRYONICS UK

MY STORY

So Why Cryonics? Well why not, the way I saw it I had three choices, Burial, Cremation and Cryonic Suspension. I didn't really fancy the first two much so Cryonics it was. If it works how mind blowing will that be, if it doesn't I will be no worse off. I am not trying to convince you to join up unlike some in your face religions. At the end of the day it is you decision, I am just giving you the information. There are many people who are interested in the subject but have decided it is not for them.

Some Cryonocists have a problem talking about it either because its not accepted by their family or by their religion. I like many others don't have that problem and even if I did it wouldn't really bother me, we are after all individuals and able to make up our own minds.

 The subject usually comes out in conversation or my Fiancée finds a way of bringing the subject up. Letting people know my wishes has benefits all round, It is still surprising how many people do not realise it is an option.

This doesn't mean everybody I tell goes dashing off and signs up, but very few are horrified by the idea, they usually find it quite fascinating. So spreading the word isn't to try and convince people to sign up, it is to make them aware of the science, I am quite sure they are then capable of making their own minds up.

The other reason I tend to tell people is for my benefit, the more people that know the better chance I have of getting a good suspension, even people who don't agree with it are still friends, family, work colleagues etc and would at least know to telephone the number on my bracelet if anything happened to me.

It is also essential to inform your doctor and have it put in your will although by law Coroners can ignore your wishes and perform an autopsy, if they know how strong your wishes are it can persuade them in your favour. So don't be afraid to discuss Cryonics most people are fascinated by it and so what if they think you are mad, we will have the last laugh. If you want to find out more about me then click HERE.

Questions I am Always Asked

Q. Why are you doing it.

A. I think I have answered that.

Q. It must cost a fortune.

A. Its not that expensive, I thought the same thing and most people take out a life insurance policy to pay for it.

Q. What do your family think about it.

A. They think I am mad and that I watch too much Star Trek, But my Fiancée has signed up herself.

Q. What will happen to your soul.

A. If my soul does leave my body I will still be no worse off, I guess you could say I am edging my bets. But what happens to the soul with frozen embryos.

Q. What if it doesn't work.

A. What if it doesn't I wont know anything about it.

Q. What if the future isn't very good.

A. Why shouldn't it be, events in history could have made the world a much worse place than it is. If it really is that bad they probably wouldn't be in a position to bring me back. There is only one way to find out.

Q. How do you know they will bring you back in the future, If they can.

A. Human nature. The same reason doctors do everything they can to prevent you dying. The same reason research is done into cloning DNA from the past.

Q. Don't you think you are being selfish, when so many people have to go without and struggle just to survive

A. Why am I being selfish, that could be said about anybody who owns the latest TV, video recorder, DVD player etc, how may people would give all that up.

I am not sure of the date, maybe 20 years ago or more. I was off work and watching Morning television, one of these mixed shows where they have news, guests and other various features, may even have been “This Morning”.

Anyway I wasn’t paying much attention when it was mentioned after the break we will meet a family who have signed up to be frozen when they die. This certainly got my attention and I eagerly waited the end of the commercials.

These people looked quite normal was my initial reaction as they were introduced. I was intrigued and excited as they told their story about wanting to live and having the opportunity in the form of Cryonics.

I remember thinking these people are obviously rich and if I ever managed to become a millionaire Cryonics was definitely for me. A telephone number was shown at the end of the interview for further information, I didn’t call it then but made a note of it and transferred it to my address book.

This must be the one contact number that managed to survive the years and was transferred from gadget to gadget and ending up in my mobile phone. It was some 17 years after first seeing it on TV that I started to do something about it.

I was heavily into computers and the internet at the time and while thinking of things to search for on the internet I decided to try Cryonics. To my surprise I had several and started to read the information on the various sites.

Hang on a minute, was I reading this right, 28000 US Dollars for a full body suspension, this was looking affordable after all. I then decided to try the number I had, as all the web sites seemed to be in the USA and the number was a UK number.

Surprisingly it was still in use and a funeral directors answered the phone, who I now know as F.R Albin. So after a bit of a chat the forms and information pack were sent out in the post.

 When the forms arrived and I doubled checked the prices I filled in the membership application form and sent it off with my cheque. I went for option 2 which would cost me 120 Dollars a year until I could afford full membership, option one.

The next step was to make arrangements for the suspension itself. I read through the contract and other forms and although not compulsory some of the forms required signatures from my next of kin which basically meant them giving their consent and agreeing not to interfere with my wishes.

Time to go public, I had mentioned it in the past without much response, but now it was actually going to happen. So I discussed it with  close family and got the reaction I expected,  you’ve been watching too much Star Trek kind of reaction.

But although they were quite shocked, they realised I was serious and agreed to sign the forms.

Right so far so good and now, last but not least, the life insurance. Here I had a few problems, each insurance company I tried seem to have a problem in me having a named beneficiary in the states .

 But there must be other members in the UK who have already done this, so after speaking to Barry Albin, he put me in touch with his financial advisor who in turn set me up with a policy, which I was then able to sign over to CI.

All my documents were signed and  together with my insurance proof they were sent to CI. Soon after I was contacted by CI to confirm, not only was I a member but I was now also signed up for suspension.

Well that was it, now what, get on with the rest of my life I guess. I continued to read the few news groups I could find and even made friends with a young Russian Cryonicist but something was missing. I guess I felt isolated, was I the only person in the UK signed up for this.

My Russian friend an I even thought of starting a website where cryonocists could chat and arrange to meet each other, but after contacting the various Cryonics organisations, most of them turned us down flat, CI showed some interest, but it never got off the ground.

 I don’t know whether this prompted CI, but several weeks later I had an E-mail from them explaining a group of Cryonicists in the UK (yes the UK) were having a meeting down in Eastbourne and were after a CI member to join the meeting. I couldn’t believe it ,this was great, I was so excited and agreed straight away.

Well the big day arrived I was both nervous and excited, but one thing that was in the back of mind while I drove down to Eastbourne was the date, April the 1st 2001. This couldn’t be could it, nobody would do this as an April Fool would they.

Well I arrived and my concerns and my nerves disappeared and I was left with excitement. The first Cryonicist I met was Alan Sinclair at his home where the meeting was being held together with his wife Sylvia I then met David and May Flude before the other guests started to arrive.

During the meeting the group we now know as ECSG was born and I gained many new friends for life, and maybe the next life. Since then I have been involved with the ECSG as much as possible and things are getting better and better.

We have since changed the name to Cryonics UK

If you really want to read about me you can visit My Home Page