Real Hope in a Virtual World

For those who missed it, here is the link to Rob Stein's article in the October 6 edition of the Washington Post entitled "Real Hope in a Virtual World"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/05/AR2007100502391.html?

Rob points out that an increasing number of major health organizations are taking advantage of virtual worlds for public health education, patient support and fundraising. His article mentions, among others, the American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the March of Dimes, Stanford University CA, and Britain's Imperial College National Health hospital. The National Institutes of Health and Harvard Medical School are apparently now considering ways of taking part in a meaningful way.

Rob did some of his research as an avatar in Second Life and spoke with myself and several members of our Survivors group, among others, in the process of preparing this article - one of them Survivors member Artistic "Fimi" Fimicoloud who is going to be one of our next speakers.

"For Stephanie Koslow, 48, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., her virtual life is helping sustain her as she fights advanced breast cancer" (writes Rob Stein). ""It's not real, but it's real in a way," said Koslow, whose avatar is a pink fox named Artistic Fimicoloud. "I might spend an afternoon trying on silly wings and laughing with friends. And laughter heals." "

Well said Fimi.