Love & Laughter: The True Story of an Online Cancer Survivors Support Group

By Marilyn R. Moody

Love & Laughter is the true story of the original American Online Cancer Survivors Support Group. It was written to show the bonding between many courageous people, who came together weekly, in cyberspace to share their stories while going through their cancer experiences. The title of the book is the essence of the story. You may become teary eyed in places, and for sure you will have many good laughs as these people bring lots of humor to the sessions.

The story is told in a two act play, with two scenes each. The period covered is from Halloween of 1994 through New Years Eve of 1995. There are some main characters, and also people who drop in on occasion to participate in the cancer chat meetings. You will probably find at least one person that you cant help falling in love with. If you are a cancer survivor you will probably relate to what these people are experiencing and expressing in the group.

When the play was performed in Southern California it received excellent reviews. People who never had cancer, spoke about how much they learned about a cancer diagnosis. Its informative, sad, funny and very, very real.

Comments from audience members who had never touched a computer but who said theyd read about chat rooms in the newspapers stated, that it gave them such a vision of what goes on in one that they now could understand what chat rooms are about.

One person who lives in the Midwest ordered a copy of the video tape of the play. Shes not a cancer survivor and has never been in a chat room, but she said watching the play made her feel like she was part of the group.

When you read the book you will probably wonder how cyberspace could be created on a stage... but just let your imagination go with the story thats what I did when I wrote it. Youll know whats going on, and well Welcome to Cancer Survivors!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 19, 2000
• ISBN: 9781465321404

Marilyn R. Moody

Marilyn R. Moody is retired from the County of Orange as a Senior Social Worker. Marilyn is the author of 7 other non-fiction books. Reading and collecting inspirational quotes has always been one of her passions. Now she would like to share some of these favorite quotes with others.

Book preview

Copyright © 1999 by Marilyn R. Moody.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission

in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-7-XLIBRIS

www.Xlibris.com

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

LOVE AND LAUGHTER

CAST OF CHARACTERS

ACT I

ACT I

ACT II

ACT II

This book is dedicated to: all the courageous cancer survivors

who make up these characters. Harriet Gottlieb who convinced me

to write the play. Art Winslow, the director who brought it

to the stage and the many wonderful volunteers from

Orange County, California

who put it on the stage through their acting and other talents

Other books by Marilyn R. Moody

Courage & Cancer

A Breast Cancer Diary

A Journey from Cancer to Cure, 1996

Breast Cancer Sisters, 1998

INTRODUCTION

Love & Laughter was originally written as a book, and then with

coaxing from a producer in community theater it became a play. It

is the true story of many courageous people who came together in

cyberspace to give and receive support after their cancer diagnoses.

The members of the online support group were from all over the

United States, both male and female and were of varying ages and

in many different cancer types and stages. This group is proof that

relationships can be formed through the use of home computers.

In 1998 a group of Orange County, California community

theater volunteers agreed to bring the play to the stage. The show

was taken on the road as the main educational tool and—also as

a fund raiser for the nonprofit organization, Breast Cancer Survivors

One Family, Many Hearts at Home. This agency assists breast cancer patients with necessary living expenses when they are unable

to work during surgeries and treatments.

The title of the play is the true essence of the group. I know

this for fact, because I was fortunate to be part of the membership

that make up this story. I believe you will be uplifted and inspired

as you fall in love with the characters who are composites from the

original members. You will undoubtedly read their story again

and again.

Thank you for joining us and Welcome to Cancer Survivors.

Marilyn R. Moody

September 1999

LOVE AND LAUGHTER

CAST OF CHARACTERS

(In order of appearance)

JANE     married, female, 41, founder and leader of the online Cancer Survivors support group.

KITTY     married, male, 33, co-facilitator of the group.

RACER     single, female, 42, member and currently on chemotherapy.

TWIRL     married, female, 51, member and two and a half years past her diagnosis.

MARKEN married, male, 52, member, a some times serious man who finds himself discovering his lighter

side.

HEATHER single, female, teenager, visits the group from her

hospital bed.

POOHBEAR single, female, early 30’s, member who is not a

cancer survivor, but a doctor of children with

cancer.

MISTY     married, female, 30, new member, newly diagnosed and beginning her chemotherapy.

LINDY     single, female, 40, one of the original members of the group.

CATHY     married, female, early 30’s, a guest who suspects that she has breast cancer.

ZZ     single, male, early 30’s, occasional visitor to the group.

TODD     single, male, teenager, unwanted guest.

GARY     single, male, mid 30’s, guest and cancer survivor.

NANNETTE married, female, 28, occasional visitor and currently on chemotherapy.

COWGIRL single, female, mid 40’s, occasional member.

ELLEN     married, female, late 20’s, one time only visitor.

ROBERT     married, male, late 20’s, one time visitor to the group.

LILLIE     married, female, early 40’s, guest and sixteen year cancer survivor.

SANDI     married, female, mid 40’s, guest and newly diagnosed.

TERESA     single, female, late 30’s, new visitor to the group.

VOICES

ANNOUNCER a non-person to the group.

CLAIRE     married, female, 50’s, although a member, she doesn’t often participate.

THE TIME

ACT I-SCENE 1 Halloween night, 1994

ACT I-SCENE 2 Week of Thanksgiving, 1994

ACT II-SCENE 1 Week of Christmas, 1994

ACT II-SCENE 2 New Year’s night, 1995

THE PLACE

Cyberspace through the America On Line (AOL) service, the

Monday night Cancer Survivors chat room.

THE SET

The back drop of the set is made up of three screens so situated

that the actors can enter from either side of the central screen and

can exit only from one side. The playing area has five colored blocks

or workstations where the actors can sit on occasion and if necessary pantomime using their computers while