Relay for Life of Second Life is back!

RELAY FOR LIFE OF SECOND LIFE is back! The 2010 season starts Monday, February 1 when teams registration starts. Check for details on the RFL of SL Updates blog at:

http://rflofsl.blogspot.com/2010/01/relay-for-life-of-second-life-is-back.html

Obama in Ghana ... and Second Life

I don't often stray outside the remit of this blog, which I see as being to focus on information for and about cancer survivors in Second Life. But Saturday was exceptional.





I found myself sitting with avatar friends from all over the globe in Second Life, joined via a chatbridge to participants in Metaplace, watching President Obama speaking live to the people of Ghana. Wiping away a tear as he reminded Africans and people all around the world that: 'Africa's future is up to Africans ... I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's'.

Second Life is such a powerful immersive environment, that I felt as if I was watching from inside the parliament building in Accra, surrounded by friends.

As one of the people watching in Second Life said, politics aside, it is a tall order addressing Africa's social, and economic problems. There was not much new in the content of the President's speech, rather, it was the fact that he was there, affirming his own and America's commitment to help Africa to change and telling them 'yes you can'.

Which brings me back to the relevance of blogging about this event here. The President confirmed America's commitment to help Africa to carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, polio, to invest in public health systems that promote wellness and the health of mothers and children, through a comprehensive, global, health strategy.

The speech was followed by a panel discussion in Second Life moderated by Tori Annenburg. KentonKeith Kitalpha (Ambassador Keith Kenton), DNA Dumouriez (African musician Derrick Ashtong), and Timothy Bergson (African Studies professor, Timothy Burke) engaged in discussion with Second Life and Metaplace participants. I wasn't able to stay for long enough unfortunately to report on what sounded from the outset a very interesting discussion.

What a privilege is was to be watching this moment in a global community. Congratulations to the Vesuvius team and to others who were involved in making this event work.

The full transcript is on the White House website:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Ghanaian-Parliament/

See my Flickr stream at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poppy_zabelin/sets/72157621275521528/

Less Pain, More Life

On Sunday, November 4, Dr Ren Stonecutter came to give us a talk on The Management of Chronic Pain - or "Less Pain, More Life" - in the American Cancer Society's Auditorium on ACS Island.



Ren has been treating chronic pain in his Real Life family practice now for four years and has taken several advanced courses in its management. His talk focussed on the nature of chronic pain, why traditional pain medications frequently don't work, some of the newer medications and non-pharmacological methods of alleviating chronic pain. He also focussed on helping both patients and caregivers accept the realities of chronic pain and set realistic goals for themselves to achieve maximum health even in the presence of pain.



My favorite part was when he quoted General George S. Patton, Jr, who saw thousands of soldiers who had been wounded in combat. He once stated that Pain is like an enemy.

"You keep moving around and the enemy cannot hit you. Same way with pain. The quicker you break away from the pain, the quicker you will drive the pain out of your system. You sit too long and you will not be able to move."

Well, Ren's talk certainly helped me think differently about pain. And judging by the discussion afterwards I think it helped others in the audience. Thanks, Ren. IM me or Ren if you would like a transcript or copies of the slides.

At the end of his session, Ren referred to a booklet called American Cancer Society's Guide to Pain Control, and we put the wrong URL up on the slide. Here is the correct one:

https://www.cancer.org/docroot/PUB/PUB_0.asp?productCode=F9637.00

A Friend at the End of Your Pen

A year ago Flash Alcott became a member of the club no-one wants to be part of when he heard the words "unfortunately, we found cancer." Flash has found it useful, like many of us, to write down his thoughts as he travels this journey. He came along on Friday October 9 and gave us an introductory talk about Expressive Writing, sometimes known as Journaling, and why cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, family members, and medical staff can find it helpful. I have an edited chat log of his talk so if you would like a copy send me an IM.



Flash is at this moment preparing to give a series of workshops on Expressive Writing at a cancer center in California and has offered to set up a similar course in Second Life. IM him if you would be interested in taking part.

SL's Relay For Life (R)

I recently came across this account of SL's Relay For Life (R) 2007 by Moo Money, which includes a video record of the Survivor's Lap. (For those who don't know it, Relay For Life (R) is the American Cancer Society's signature event and the third annual SLRFL, in July 2007, raised around $115K in real dollars!) My IM's were flashing so much at the start and during the Lap that I didn't have much opportunity to just walk and reflect or take much notice of my surroundings. So I'm extremely thankful to Moo for this record. And it is a great introduction to SLRFL for any of our survivors who have just joined and want to take part in SLRFL 2008.

SLRFL machinisma: Survivors Lap
http://www.m.secondlifeinsider.com/2007/07/28/slrfl-machinima-survivors-lap/

American Cancer Society Opening Ceremony in Second Life

Here's a few pictures and a round-up of some of the great write-ups we had for the opening ceremony of the American Cancer Society in Second Life on Sunday, September 23 and which I helped organize. Unfortunately, I had one of those SL things happen to me, my mic wouldn't work so the readings I was scheduled to give were taken over by my SL friend and soulmate, Synergy Devonshire, who is a fellow-survivor and is Publicity Chair for SL's Relay For Life 2008 among the many hats that she juggles at the moment.

During the ceremony people were able to light luminaria around the sim in honor of survivors and in memory of friends and family who have passed. And some of the survivors and caregivers read their own poetry and stories. We walked along the lit paths in silence to the music generously donated for performance during the event by some of SL's foremost musicians. Then the mood changed to one of celebration and hope, with a glorious fashion show, gala ball, and spectacular fireworks at the finish.




And did I mention that the sim crashed? Well, it did. It's disappointing when that happens although of course some would say that it's a sign of a successful event...

New World Notes
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/09/riks-picks-fo-2.html

Rick Riel's blog "The Click Heard Around the World"
http://www.rikomatic.com/blog/2007/09/american-cancer.html

Second Life Insider
http://www.secondlifeinsider.com/2007/09/17/the-american-cancer-society-grand-opening-fashion-show/

ACS Island Opens and Fashion Fights Back - Metaverse Messenger page 13
www.metaversemessenger.com/pdf/2007/09/MM20070918.pdf

Style, song, sobs and lag mark American Cancer Society Gala
http://www.slnn.com/index.php/article/about/cancer-sim-opens/page/2.html?sid=aW2mC3nxefZAah6A

DoctorAnn Buchanan's talk about Depression and Cancer

Friday, July 13 we had our first talk sponsored by SL's Cancer Survivors group in the American Cancer Society Auditorium in Second Life. DoctorAnn Buchanan who is the founder and Director of the Ann Myers Medical Center (AMMC) in SL came and talked to us about Depression and Cancer. It is clear that very many of us who are going through treatment for cancer at the moment and even those who have just completed treatment suffer from varying degrees of depression. DrAnn's take-home message was - "Above all, if you take nothing else from this talk, remember these things: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Depression is NOT your fault! Saying you need help is a strength, NOT a weakness."

There is a transcript of the full talk available on a notecard. If you would like a copy just IM me in Second Life.