Mother fights for cryopreservation of her deceased son!

Mother fights for cryopreservation of her deceased son!

Clare McCann, a 32-year-old Australian actress, is at the center of an emotional and controversial issue: the use of cryonics to preserve her late son Atreyu. The 13-year-old took his own life as a result of bullying at school, which plunged the family into profound grief. The tragic incident occurred last week in the state of New South Wales. McCann is now considering preserving her son's body using cryonics in the hope of one day being able to revive him, although this remains scientifically controversial.

Cryonics refers to the storage of human bodies in liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures of up to minus 196 degrees Celsius. This technique is intended to preserve cellular structure, while the question remains whether this practice could actually enable resuscitation after death. To date, there are no documented successes in reviving people using cryonics. McCann has launched a call for donations on GoFundMe to finance this measure, as cryopreservation costs around 300,000 Australian dollars (approx. 170,000 euros).

Cryonics: hope or utopia?

Critics of cryonics point out that there is no certainty about the future viability of a cryopreserved body. Ancient beliefs suggest that death begins an irreversible process that leaves the body. Cryonics attempts to halt this process through cooling to buy time for possible technological development that could enable future resuscitation and healing. Some animals, such as certain species of amphibians, have demonstrated abilities to survive in extreme temperatures, underscoring the potential of cryobiology, but for human cells the research remains in its infancy.

Additionally, McCann only has seven days to complete cryopreservation of her son's body. There are only a few companies worldwide that offer these services, including the Berlin start-up Tomorrow Biostasis, which has already frozen 20 people and ten pets. The company is also working to improve processes, including developing cheaper antifreeze and heating methods.

Ethical issues and access to cryonics

The ethical implications of cryonics raise further questions, particularly regarding responsibility for cryopreserved patients and the impact on the natural order. Proponents argue that medical interventions such as antibiotics and surgery also interfere with natural processes. Cryonics, however, is often criticized as an intervention into death itself – a kind of “playing God”. The cryonics debate highlights personal autonomy, as people can also sign contracts for cryopreservation, similar to organ donation.

However, access to cryonics is expensive and in practice is often only reserved for wealthy people. Many institutions charge significant sums of money for cryopreservation, fueling concerns that it is a technology for the wealthy. However, Tomorrow.bio aims to increase access to cryonics and increase its affordability for a broader segment of the population. As part of their efforts, they offer plans that can be funded through life insurance.

So the decision to be interested in cryonics or not becomes a profound personal choice. It affects not only the individual freedom to give death a chance later, but also the ethical considerations and financial possibilities associated with this decision. Clare McCann and many others now stand at a crossroads where hope meets the unknown.