There
is a story on the internet of a dying UK girl who has been able to convince a
judge to let her body be frozen so she could be revived in future when her
cancer is cured.
is a story on the internet of a dying UK girl who has been able to convince a
judge to let her body be frozen so she could be revived in future when her
cancer is cured.
First,
let us get to know what this procedure is and how it works.
let us get to know what this procedure is and how it works.
- ·
Cryonics
is the low-temperature preservation (usually at -196°C) of
people who cannot be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that
resuscitation and restoration to full health may be possible in the far future.
- ·
Cryopreservation
of humans is not reversible with present technology; cryonicists hope that medical
advances will someday allow cryopreserved people to be revived
Cryogenic
preservation: How does it work?
preservation: How does it work?
- ·
The
process needs to begin as soon as possible after the patient dies, to stop
brain cells dying through lack of oxygen
- ·
Bodies
are first cooled in ice baths to slowly reduce the body temperature
- ·
Blood
is removed from the body and replaced with cryo-protectant fluid, stopping ice
crystals forming inside, which in turn damages cells
- ·
The
bodies are transferred for storage – only companies in the US and Russia do
this at present
- ·
The
companies put the person into an arctic sleeping bag and lower them into a
giant tank, where their temperature continues to be lowered
- ·
Whole
bodies or just heads can be preserved, as well as pets
- ·
Scientists
have yet to prove they will be able to bring them back to life
Back to the story …
The
teenage girl’s instructions were direct: She didn’t want to be buried, but to
be frozen — with the hope she can continue her life in the future when cancer
is cured.
teenage girl’s instructions were direct: She didn’t want to be buried, but to
be frozen — with the hope she can continue her life in the future when cancer
is cured.
“I
want to live and live longer and I think that in the future they may find a
cure for my cancer and wake me up,” the 14-year-old wrote to a judge
before her recent death.
want to live and live longer and I think that in the future they may find a
cure for my cancer and wake me up,” the 14-year-old wrote to a judge
before her recent death.
She
said “being cryo-preserved gives me a chance to be cured and woken up —
even in hundreds of years’ time.”
said “being cryo-preserved gives me a chance to be cured and woken up —
even in hundreds of years’ time.”
Her
plaintive words convinced High Court Judge Peter Jackson to grant her final
wishes in what he called the first case of its kind in England — and possibly
the world.
plaintive words convinced High Court Judge Peter Jackson to grant her final
wishes in what he called the first case of its kind in England — and possibly
the world.
The
judge said the girl had chosen the most basic preservation option at a cost of
about 37,000 pounds ($46,000).
judge said the girl had chosen the most basic preservation option at a cost of
about 37,000 pounds ($46,000).
The
girl’s divorced parents disagreed about the procedure, with the mother favoring
it and the father initially saying no, though he softened his stance as his
daughter’s death neared.
girl’s divorced parents disagreed about the procedure, with the mother favoring
it and the father initially saying no, though he softened his stance as his
daughter’s death neared.
The
girl, who along with her parents can’t be named for legal reasons, asked the
court to designate that only her mother could dispose of her remains so that
she could be cryogenically preserved, an unproven technique that some people
believe may allow frozen bodies to be brought back to life in the future.
girl, who along with her parents can’t be named for legal reasons, asked the
court to designate that only her mother could dispose of her remains so that
she could be cryogenically preserved, an unproven technique that some people
believe may allow frozen bodies to be brought back to life in the future.
The
concept is regarded with widespread skepticism by many in the medical
community.
concept is regarded with widespread skepticism by many in the medical
community.
“It
is no surprise that this application is the only one of its kind to have come
before the courts in this country — and probably anywhere else,” the judge
said.
is no surprise that this application is the only one of its kind to have come
before the courts in this country — and probably anywhere else,” the judge
said.
He
called the case “an example of the new questions that science poses to the
law.”
called the case “an example of the new questions that science poses to the
law.”
The
judge made the ruling in October, and imposed restrictions on any media
coverage while the girl was still alive out of respect for her stated desire
for privacy.
judge made the ruling in October, and imposed restrictions on any media
coverage while the girl was still alive out of respect for her stated desire
for privacy.
His
ruling cleared the way for the girl’s remains to be taken to a specialist
facility in the U.S. for the start of the preservation process.
ruling cleared the way for the girl’s remains to be taken to a specialist
facility in the U.S. for the start of the preservation process.
The
girl was too ill to attend court proceedings, but Jackson visited her in a
hospital. He said he was impressed by the “valiant way” she dealt
with her impending death from a rare form of cancer. He said she spent her
final months researching cryonics on the internet.
girl was too ill to attend court proceedings, but Jackson visited her in a
hospital. He said he was impressed by the “valiant way” she dealt
with her impending death from a rare form of cancer. He said she spent her
final months researching cryonics on the internet.
Jackson
said his decision was based on resolving the dispute between the parents and
did not represent a finding on cryogenic preservation.
said his decision was based on resolving the dispute between the parents and
did not represent a finding on cryogenic preservation.
He
seemed focused on the girl’s expressed desire, even though she was too young to
write a legally binding will.
seemed focused on the girl’s expressed desire, even though she was too young to
write a legally binding will.
“I
don’t want to be buried underground,” she wrote at the end of her note.
“I want to have this chance. This is my wish.”
foxnews.com
don’t want to be buried underground,” she wrote at the end of her note.
“I want to have this chance. This is my wish.”
foxnews.com