Mixed reality conference on impact of virtual worlds in public health

I was honored to be one of the speakers recently at a mixed reality all-day Health Expo to celebrate the launch of the Health Commons. It was organized by the Non-Profit Commons, an online community initiative of Techsoup Global, and part of the NetSquared Conference in San Jose, CA.

The expo consisted of a number of panels, with the aim according to the organizers of 'bringing together healthcare leaders and practitioners to share best practices and develop new strategies for incorporating technology to address the need to organize and disseminate health-related information and to connect with other nonprofit health organizations to promote the advancement of innovative projects, cures, research and advocacy'.




Left to right: Poppy, Sting and Fay

Stingray9798 Raymaker, the ACS representative in Second Life; Fayandria Foley, Event Chair of Relay For Life of Second Life; and I were on a panel to discuss the ways in which the cancer support community, the cancer treatment community and the cancer research community can meet together and share ideas and support, through the various inworld support networks in the virtual world of Second Life. We also explored the fundraising success of Relay For Life.

There were five panels in total and the other four panels consisted of: mental health issues (Coughran Mayo), HIV/AIDS awareness (Ricken Flow), healthy lifestyles (Rebecca E. Lee & Sameer Siddiqi, Texas Obesity Research Center), and disabilities (Gentle Heron of Virtual Ability).

ACS unfolds plans to expand its support programs in SL

Stingray9798 Raymaker (the American Cancer Society representative in SL) is the first to acknowledge that he is a "noob", who once managed to delete an entire building. (You're not the only one, Sting. I managed to delete my house!) But his vision of how ACS will evolve in the future is far from rudimentary.



Speaking at Nonprofit Week last Thursday, Sting used the opportunity to unfold ACS plans to expand its support group program in SL to match its RL programs, as well as offering help and advice to other nonprofits.

He first outlined the current programs on the American Cancer Society sim, including The Hope Haven which he described as "the cornerstone of how the ACS provides much needed support for cancer survivors who live in Second Life", the "Makeover Magic" program which is scheduled to happen twice in 2009, and a breast cancer education and awareness program based on the real life Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program.

New projects include the Media Library, where avatars can browse resources of information, and a new series of lectures on cancer information organized by Ren Stonecutter, a RL physician who is already a popular speaker on the island.

Forthcoming plans include a support group (Man to Man) for men only, and another program, Reach to Recovery, for breast cancer survivors to “mentor” newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Another, more aggressive plan involves access to the ACS's National Cancer Information Center. The NCIC consists of cancer specialists who currently answer all phone calls (24/7) to the ACS toll free hotline…1-800-ACS-2345. Emphasizing that this is still in the very early stages of development, Sting continued: "If this project is rolled out, we would be able to provide immediate information and resources to cancer patients and loved ones in-world just the same as we do when they call on the phone in RL. I do not mean to create an expectation that this will become available in the near future - but it is one of my pet projects that I will work diligently on because the need is so great."

In closing, Sting offered the following thoughts to nonprofits and also mentioned that ACS will in future be offering its meeting spaces to nonprofits who do not own their own sim:

"Since entering Second Life, the American Cancer Society has existed on the support of one staff person and countless volunteers. Our budget allocation is minimal, at best, and we exist primarily because of generous volunteers who donate their time and talent.

"The key to our success has always been the organization’s willingness to support and legitimize our volunteers’ efforts. It shouldn’t take a lot of money to exist in SL, if you stay true to the mission of your organization."

Orange Island and the Nonprofit Commons teamed up to present Nonprofit Week which was held from Monday, January 26th to Thursday, January 29th.

Grand Makeover for ACS in Second Life

On Sunday, November 2 the American Cancer Society sim was officially reopened. Over the last several months, the island has been completely 'made over' to meet the growing needs of cancer patients and American Cancer Society volunteers in Second Life. The island rebuild was in the hands of Boro Rossini and Mirco Dinzeo who have done an amazing job of interpreting these needs.

As Jeff Montegut, who as Stingray9798 Raymaker is the ACS Strategic Director in Second Life, said: "The American Cancer Society plans to utilize the virtual office no differently (in concept) than any other office in any other city... the same services that are offered in a real life office should be available to the Second Life community, because there are real people facing real issues behind each and every avatar. The American Cancer Society recognizes that, and fully supports our volunteers in Second Life."

There was a festive atmosphere, with quirky Japanese-style lanterns lining the canal and the paths that people could light to honor a loved one who is facing cancer or who has passed on. And, importantly, the Tree of Hope and the Survivors Wall (this time, redesigned as a 'Walk') returned to the island!

Lanterns line the pathways and the Tree of Hope can be seen in the distance

Volunteer greeters were situated around the island to give tours and to explain the various activities that take place there.

Then we moved on to another kind of 'makeover'. Five survivors were nominated for an avatar fashion makeover, see: http://poppyzabelin.blogspot.com/2008/10/makeover-magic.html. Trader1 Whiplash hosted a panel discussion on T1 Radio with the chosen survivors, who modelled their outfits later in the morning in the fashion show "Makeover Magic", along with their fashion mentors. The makeover program was sponsored by FACES, led by Aradia Dielli and Serenity Nerd, and with Cinders Vale responsible for the liaison between the survivors and the FACES team. The program was supported by a host of top flight designers who donated skins, outfits, hair, shoes, and jewelry for the makeovers.

Evus Alter, who was one of the survivor models, sent this note to the Makeover Magic team after the event: "To everyone who organized the event: You have no idea have much respect I have for each of you. All the talent, time, effort that you placed into it! Thank you. To my mentor, Scar, what a wonderful human being! To have someone, half way across the world, doing something so nice for a total stranger – truly touched me. To all my fellow survivors: I am so honored to have this connection to you."

For a list of the designers who took part see my next blog:

http://poppyzabelin.blogspot.com/2008/11/applause-for-our-designers.html

The ceremony finished with a wonderful firework display courtesy of Racerx Gullwing.

Jeff Montegut (Stingray 9798 Raymaker) Strategic Director of ACS in Second Life, addresses the audience and describes the new plans that ACS has for increasing access in SL to its RL support services

LadyKay Gable sets out down the catwalk and shows off her beautiful new look

Cinders Vale, a volunteer with ACS who coordinated the makeovers, relaxing after the show with one of the survivor models, Hylonome Quintessa

Makeover Magic!

The completely rebuilt American Cancer Society island will be officially unveiled at a Grand Re-Opening on Sunday, November 2. The event starts at 10 am SL time. Go to:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/104/147/49

The official ACS representative in Second Life, Stingray9798 Raymaker, will talk about the ACS future plans in Second Life, and the program will include a "Makeover Magic" fashion show sponsored jointly by the ACS and FACES.

Cinders Vale, the official liaison with FACES, and I, were both treated to a fashion makeover last year and we took part in the fashion show at the official opening on September 23 2007, so we know just how exciting and special it is to be pampered in this way. This year's show features five members of the Survivors Group, along with their fashion mentors, so be sure to come and support them!

The makeovers program is the Second Life equivalent of the ACS "Look Good, Feel Better" program, a free, community-based service in the USA that helps survivors to restore their appearance and self-image during treatment.

See: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ESN/content/ESN_3_1X_Look_Good_Feel_Better.asp?sitearea=SHR

See also Cinders' blog: http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/node/4280

Below, the spectacular invitation (designed by MamaP Beerbaum) and an aerial view of the new island.