Almost every country in the world has its own version of a Living Will, each version being based upon the laws of the particular country. The Living Will issued by SAVES - The Living Will Society is based upon the concept of "Informed Consent" which is a patient's Common Law and Constitional Right in South Africa. One of the functions of the Society is to educate the public regarding their right to refuse artificial life-support when dying.

The Society is a non-profit organisation formed in 1974 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and over 43 000 people throughout the country have enrolled as members and signed Living Wills.

In 1991 the Society was instrumental in requesting that the South African Law Commission research legislation for living wills. As a direct result, a proposed Bill entitled: Euthanasia and the rights of the terminally ill is presently awaiting presentation before Parliament, seeking to place on the statute books a situation that already exists and which is widely accepted by doctors, society and religion worldwide.

By joining an officially recognised Society and using recognised Living Will documents, members are assured that their Living Wills will be speedily accepted and acted upon by medical personnel in emergency situations; and that their advance directive will, in need, receive the back-up and support of the Society. Also, by becoming a registered member of the Society, one can assist by increasing the officially recorded number of people who are behind the Society's ongoing petition for legislation of the Living Will.