American Cancer Society Relay for Life (In Second Life)

I’ve written a number of times here about Second Life, encouraging folks to come in and have fun. There’s a serious side to things there, too. Every year Second Life players support The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. People create items for sale to support RFL. Entertainers give concerts. I’ve already made a bunch of clothes to sell, and Kat has made furniture and a number of other items. We’ll do some fundraising events as well, and you’ll read about them here.

We’re participating as part of the Caledon team. (The Independent State of Caledon is this wonderful Victorian, Steampunk nation that is comprised of over a dozen regions. It is a monument to the creativity of people. They all make tons of cool stuff, including lots of flying machines which are just a blast to play with.)

If you’d like to help, you can do so in two ways. The first is to come into Second Life, have some fun, buy some stuff and explore a new world.

The second way is to donate at the American Cancer Society RFL Second Life website. On the left side, click on donate, then search for “Noble Charron” (that’s me in Second Life) and make a donation. When I registered the website set a ridiculously low fundraising goal. I’d really like to blow it away.

Defeating cancer is a really important cause to me. I have very close friends who are battling cancer, very bravely, but it’s a fight I wish they didn’t have to wage. My very best friend is a cancer survivor, and yet every year has to have tests to make sure the cancer is at bay. David L. Arneson, the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons; a very old and dear friend, is fighting it even now.

And I’ve lost friends and relatives to cancer: Roger Zelazny, Patty Vardeman, my cousin Charles James, an aunt, my grandfather. Pancreatic cancer just took Susan Narkewicz just a couple months ago, and took Barry Bard a couple years ago.

Cancer is one of those diseases that’s not really an if but a when. You live long enough, and it’s likely to catch up with you. Now that I’ve turned 50, I’m looking at that first colonoscopy. (If they give me pictures, I’ll post them…donate enough and I won’t!)

As a science fiction writer who loves reading about advances in medicine, genetics and biology, I know two things: 1) cancer is a whole bunch of diseases and conditions that all need cures and 2) there are some very cool and innovative techniques that are within our grasp to sideline most, if not all, of the cancers out there.

Again, please donate. Think of it in an investment in your future. That’s how I see it. We stop cancer, and I’ll keep my audience around for a long time.

And I’ll be right there with you, telling stories and having fun.