We're Protected By Cool PEAs

When I read information that shows how much community and a sense of connectedness can decrease recurrence of cancer, I start to think of all those cute little pea avatars I see online every Friday. When I had my biopsies those cool little peas stuck in a baggie in my camisole all huddled together in my cleavage, conforming to the shape of my breast, protecting it and bringing me cool comfort.

Face it - there's an analogy here

Just like those comforting, calming frozen peas in my bodice, what the pea avatars have come to represent are hundreds of virtual strangers who have come together to help me keep my cool on my walk through the cancer maze. It's a beautiful thing

Over the weeks since that day in December 2007, I've discovered more and more amazing caring people in the virtual community who don their pea avatars on Fridays - and increasingly I glimpse them on other days too.

More than words or gestures

These people have nothing to gain, but they provide me and other patients with a sense of community, of virtual support, that is absolutely invaluable to us.

We may not be able to measure how long we stay cancer free because of the support of our all those cool frozen peas surrounding us in our communities. We may not be able to measure our love for those people who have never met us and still reach out in many ways to us every day of the week.

But I can point out that I recognize that they help in real, identifiable ways, every single day.

And I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

graphic representation of connections in online communities above from orgnet community where you can learn more about community

Pea avatars complements of the Frozen Pea Fund Flickr group