October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Synergy Devonshire --- the SL coordinator of Making Strides, the ACS breast cancer awareness program --- is organizing the Fighting Spirit sessions this month, on the theme of breast cancer awareness, and she is also organizing several awareness talks on ACS island, dates and times to be announced. If you go to the island you'll see the "Strides" donation kiosks at the information centers on both levels, along with some goody bags and a perfectly wonderful pink pumpkin which you can grab for free!

Also on this theme, Vera Zhaoying who is a student intern at the Anne Myers Medical Center (AMMC) is organizing a breast cancer awareness event called "Time for You" on October 11 at 10 AM. It is at the woman health clinic, AMMC. Please contact Vera for details.

Putting the emphasis on early detection

Last week I had a sneak preview of the new Womens Health Clinic at the AMMC-Sprott Shaw college. AMMC - the Ann Myers Medical College - which was created by DoctorAnn Buchanan to test the possibilities of virtual training for Real Life medical and nursing students. I was shown round the womens' health section by Vera Zhaoying who in real life is a 4th year medical student in Holland and who is responsible for much of the build.

The main emphasis of this clinic will be on prevention and early detection. Vera showed me the four terminals in the reception area which in time will be linked to websites dealing with prevention, detection, and support topics. At the moment there are two examination rooms, one for breast and one for the female reproductive organs. The first room we went into is devoted to early detection of breast cancer and contains a mammography unit. (I "touched" the unit and was relieved to discover that it hasn't been completely scripted yet.) More equipment is going to be added, with the idea of expanding in the future to cover general womens health.

There's no doubt that visiting a womens' clinic can be a daunting experience for many of us in Real Life. So as well as being a tool for doctors and nurses in training, I can see the clinic being helpful in educating women about their bodies and the early signs of cancer, and getting familiarity with the various tests and instruments.

Dr Elspet Glasgow will be heading up the clinic.

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.