Sparks Brain Preservation
A Non-profit Organization
Joining Sparks Brain Preservation is simple. The member portal is live and you are welcome to join as a full member for $150/year:
Once you are signed up, please log in here:
Note: If you visit the login URL before you have signed up, you will need to click "Not a member? Sign up" and then add your email address.
Thank you so much for considering becoming a member. Your membership supports our non-profit mission to provide high-quality structural brain preservation services to as many people as possible, while advancing preservation science through research.
Membership connects you with like-minded individuals who share your vision for the future. You will become a part of a supportive community that understands your decision and to help your preservation wishes and arrangements to be honored. For those of us who do not reach longevity escape velocity, we believe that the only way currently available to possibly survive is via brain preservation. But nobody can do this on their own. Your membership helps us to build our infrastructure, strengthen our community, and perform the necessary scientific research to make brain preservation as high quality as possible.
Members who maintain their membership for at least 2 years receive a 33% discount on all preservation services. This significant savings applies to all service options, including remote preservation, pet preservation, and standby.
Our membership program is just getting started, and we are deeply grateful to early supporters. Therefore, we are offering the discounted long-term member rate to anyone who becomes an annual paying member by Jan 1, 2027 and stays a member for at least 2 years. After this deadline, the 2-year waiting period to become a long-term member will start from whenever you join. This means that those who sign up now could benefit from 33% savings while members who join later would still be paying full price if they need preservation services.
Your membership dues accumulate as credit toward future preservation services. Every dollar you contribute as a member reduces your eventual service costs, making preservation more affordable for you over time. In other words, you are not wasting your money on membership fees, because it will go toward your preservation.
Members receive a form of emergency identification designed to alert first responders and medical professionals of your preservation arrangements in critical situations. We offer several options, in case one best suits your lifestyle: medical alert tags that attach to smartwatches, dog tag necklaces, bracelets, or wallet cards. Each ID is customized with your specific information and professionally manufactured by our suppliers. Your membership includes one free emergency ID, with a free replacement provided upon request every 5 years. Additional IDs are available anytime for a small fee.
As we grow our organization, Sparks Brain Preservation is planning to hold events with member-exclusive sessions. These will be available both in-person and online for people who do not live nearby. Through these events, members will have exclusive access to early research findings and direct discussions with our team about organizational priorities. This is your opportunity to see the technical details behind our work and give your input on our approaches to help shape our future directions.
Long-term members may apply to serve on our Advisory Board of Directors. If selected for the board, you can help shape our organization’s future and ensure that its mission continues for generations. Among other advisory roles, this board will dictate our succession plan for who will eventually lead Sparks Brain Preservation when our founder and director, Dr. Jordan Sparks, passes the torch. We view this as an opportunity to positively influence the organization that will safeguard your preservation.
We try our best to be inclusive and accessible. The cost of performing quality preservation services for people in other cities is significant, but we try to keep it as low as possible. The cost is almost entirely for staffing, travel fees, and unavoidable funerary services.
Some people get life insurance to pay for these services and others do not. We do not require life insurance as a condition for membership. It’s up to you.
If you have any questions about membership, benefits, or how to join, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us. We are staffed well enough to handle phone calls from members for issues, for example regarding paperwork. We’re here to help you through every step of the process.
What happens to my accumulated membership credits if I need preservation services before reaching the 2-year mark?
Your accumulated credits still apply toward your preservation costs, but you just won’t receive the 33% discount yet. Every dollar you’ve paid in membership fees still reduces your final bill for services dollar-for-dollar.
Can I transfer my membership to a family member?
No, not at this time. Memberships are individual and non-transferable. However, children of members under 25 can become members for free (emergency IDs not included, but can be purchased).
What if I can’t afford the $150 annual fee due to financial hardship?
In this case, please contact us. If you can demonstrate a significant financial hardship, we will do our best to be inclusive and will work with you to find a solution. We may be able to adjust fees or benefits based on your situation.
If I let my membership lapse and then rejoin, do I lose my progress toward the 2-year discount?
Yes, in this case you would need to start over. The 2-year period must be continuous to qualify for the long-term member discount.
Are membership fees tax-deductible?
No. The membership includes tangible benefits (like access to services discounts and the emergency ID), which means that they would not be tax-deductible. Also, we are a mutual benefit non-profit organization, not a 501(c)(3).
Can I pay multiple years of membership upfront? Does this count toward my accumulated service credit?
Yes and yes! You can prepay membership for multiple years, and all of it accumulates as credit toward future preservation services.
If I’m already signed up for preservation services, why should I also become a member?
Members save 33% on all services after 2 years, accumulate credits toward their preservation, receive emergency IDs, and support our organization’s research and long-term stability. Plus, you would join a community that understands and supports your decision.
Can organizations or families purchase group memberships?
Not currently, but we’re exploring this option, as one company has reached out to us about it as a possibility. Contact us if you’re interested in this, because your input may help shape future offerings.
How is my membership helping advance preservation research specifically?
Membership fees help us to fund our quality validation studies and equipment purchases to test and improve our preservation techniques. They also help us to offer free preservation to local research participants who contribute to our understanding of preservation quality.
Do I need to be signed up for preservation services when I become a member?
No, it is not required. Some people may wish to become members for other reasons and we greatly appreciate this support as well. For example, some people may want to be able to access the long-term member benefits in case they decide to sign up in the future. Others may simply want to support our research and mission. Membership is open to everyone, including family members, researchers, or other members of the public who are interested in following our progress and being part of the community.