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How Frozen Peas Started A Movement

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Cancer Patient's Blog Builds Web Community

By Craig Colgan (Contact)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

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Applying a bag of frozen peas directly to her breast shortly after undergoing a needle biopsy that day in December made perfect sense to Susan Reynolds.

"Ice packs are hard and heavy," Reynolds wrote on her blog. "As much as I try to be a good sport I'm not into having a brick sitting on my chest. That bag of peas added a touch of lightness to what could have been a sad and serious tale."

And just like that, a mini-movement was born.

Reynolds, who lives in Sterling, is an artist, an art teacher, a consultant and a devoted participant of social networking Web sites. She had breast cancer, as it turned out, and underwent a mastectomy Dec. 21 followed by reconstructive surgery and more soothing applications of frozen peas.

On the blog she started immediately after her cancer fight began — called (really) Boobs On Ice — Reynolds detailed all this and included a photo of the bag of frozen peas peeking out from underneath her camisole. She also used that photo as her onscreen identifier, or avatar, on the discussion site Twitter.com.

Photo: Katherine Frey

Susan Reynolds, a breast cancer patient, found out that frozen peas help with the pain in her breast. She started a blog about her experience with breast cancer and has drawn more than 1,300 followers.

Inspired by Reynolds's photo, dozens of people in her Twitter community — and others who had found out about her diagnosis through the Internet — began creating pea-themed photos in a show of sympathy. They posted the images on the photo-sharing site Flickr.com, or used them as their avatars (which, in this case, have come to be known as "peavatars") on Twitter.

Reynolds said the number of people following and replying to her writings on Twitter has reached about 1,300.

"How this has all spread — it's magic," she said.

The frozen peas not only have sparked messages of support for Reynolds, 59, but have become the emblem of an online community of people sharing their experiences with cancer.

Audio Clips

Listen to Susan Reynolds talk about her experiences with peas:

"Women are doing breast self-exams and men are sharing about their aunt's or sister's or mother's struggles with cancer because they are reminded or inspired by something as everyday as peas," Reynolds said.

The Internet buzz soon turned into a low roar as the peas people got noticed by hundreds of bloggers, well-known and otherwise. "The communities may be virtual, but the friendships formed there are real," wrote Shel Israel, co-author of the book "Naked Conversations: How Blogs Are Changing the Way Businesses Talk With Customers," on one blog referencing the peas phenomenon.

A New York resident who is one of Reynolds's Twitter followers came up with the idea of donating the equivalent of the cost of two bags of frozen peas, about $5, to cancer research. That led Connie Reece, another online friend, to establish the The Frozen Pea Fund. As of early this week, the fund had raised $7,171 from contributors on three continents since its launch Dec. 21, said Reece, who lives in Austin.

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"I had a gut feeling that the Frozen Pea Fund would take off — that peas would 'go viral,' as we say online — but even then it surpassed my expectations," Reece said.

All donations go directly to the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program, Reece said, through a link on the fund's Web site, frozenpeafund.com.

Reynolds said the news she has heard from her doctors was positive, but she was waiting this week for a doctor's word on whether any follow-up plan would include chemotherapy.

This is a screengrab of Frozen Pea Friday on the Twitter Web site.

Just by logging on to Twitter, she said, she feels plenty of support and "lightness" as the sea of green peavatars fills her computer screen.

She credits her husband, Bill, with first suggesting that she apply a bag of frozen peas to her breast. She said her four children, ages 22 to 36, also have supported her. She said that by writing and listening to her online community, she is less likely to overburden her family, which has plenty to cope with.

"I had people around me when I got the news, but I think it is hard for them," Reynolds said. "Some people need to be inward and reflective. I needed to talk about it. And I really reveal what I think on Twitter, that I was scared. That first night especially. And the response and the level of support from everyone was just stunning."

"There's nothing good about getting cancer," Reynolds wrote on her blog. "It helps [to] start conversations though."

Tagged: cancer, health, Sterling

Comments:

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One day I was minding my own business on Twitter, and the next I was changing my avatar and donating money! I still don't know how it all happened.

Seriously though, in the short time I have been involved in the community, I have become more and more impressed with the people who share their lives there. When you are a part of a community and people are hurting, in any way, you tend to do things you normally wouldn't to try and help.

Thanks to Susan for being so open, and thank you to the rest of our friends who are supporting her and the Frozen Pea Fund.

Posted by robertrarmstrong (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i've been amazed and touched to see the twitter community rally around susan reynolds. people outside the blogosphere underestimate just how powerful online interactions can be in offering support (and kindness) that really makes a difference.

Posted by jenlemen (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

In the middle of last year I created an account on Twitter and really had no idea what it was but I was always up for trying new things. I really had no expectations of really using it at all but I found myself virtually surrounded by many people who really cared about one another. Last month when I started seeing "tweets" about peas, I was curious. When I found out what was going on, I was amazed. I, of course, began following @SusanReynolds and @PEAple and watched as all of this unfolded. I was amazed. When Susan received a good word from the doctor, we all cheered. It really felt great being able to be a tiny part in something so big -- and when I found out that Susan lived in the same area I do, I was even more amazed.

Twitter is truly making a difference in this world. From a gathering of people to hold a company accountable for their actions, to raising money for breast cancer, to raising money for the husband of a tweeter who was tragically killed in a car crash on Jan 8th, and even for fighting fires in California, there is definately a difference being made in this world from those who "tweet" and the only thing I can say to people who don't understand it is they need to try it. Twitter can't be explained - it must be felt.

Posted by bblboy54 (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I started seeing peavatars everywhere on Twitter. A quick investigation led me to following @SusanReynolds tweets. I can relate to using peas to sooth pain as frozen vegetables are usually always available when you need them.

It really makes me feel warm inside to see all of the support she has received via our online community.

- @seorob

Posted by info (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Twitter and social media help us all see the story behind the statistics ... and Susan's is a great example. Through Twitter we come into contact with people we have never "met" but whose lives we can tough and emotions we can share.

Posted by servant (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A month and a half after stumbling into Twitter, I started seeing peas everywhere. I learned about Susan Reynolds the day she went in for her surgery. Within a few short hours, my heart was as concerned for her as it would be for a close friend! My avatar immediately went green. Ever since then I've been thankful for the blessing of getting to know her and so many other wonderful people in the Twitter community.
As a writer and artist who has been using the wonders of the internet to spread the word about needy causes, I've been excited and amazed by the awesome work the Twitter community has done in getting the word out about the Frozen Pea Fund. I'm just thankful to be able to participate. ~mousewords

Posted by mousewords.chat (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I joined Twitter only 6 days ago and came across Susan on Day 2. Because my academic research--focused mainly on the trauma of Hurricane Katrina--has me also interested in illness narratives, I began following her daily updates. It's amazing to see this very public community develop into one that trusts the way they do. And it happens with every passing minute and update. Truly inspiring!
Thank you Susan for sharing your story with us all.

Posted by phdaisy (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 1:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I first heard of the frozen pea fund through comments to my blog (Toddler Planet) and have been so impressed with the Twitter community that I joined it this week. Both Twitter and blogging are amazing venues for outreach, support, and social networking. Susan is a courageous woman, and it's been neat getting to know her as she goes through the first days of her cancer.

Posted by sniebur (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 5:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was on Twitter and following Susan before her diagnosis, and you have to understand what a wonderful woman she is to share her journey with all of us. She may SAY that we support her, but truthfully she supports all of us, with knowledge, information and sharing. Think of all the people on Twitter who know about the process involved in diagnosis and surgery now who did not know three months ago. This is turning your personal journey into something for the common good. Twitter's great, but Susan and Connie are better!

Posted by francine (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

All this discussion of peas and social media has me wondering, how many peas in an iPod:)

Posted by penningink (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Susan and I had been tweeting for some time. Her son is in the AF and I'm in the AF Reserve. So her son and I started to communicate. Naturally a friendship developed. When I learned about Susan's cancer I literally wept. Many prayers were lifted for her and mercifully she is doing well. Recently another Twitter user was killed in a car accident in Louisiana. We have managed to raise nearly $3,000 in cash for the family's immediate needs. I believe Susan's leadership in this online community spirited that on. In the case of the young woman, Ashley Spencer, who passed away, Susan had just put a package together and was getting ready to send it out - it had items in it for Ashley's 4 week old infant and approximately 18 month old son.

Giving, sharing, and caring are alive and well on Twitter. It's an extension of the "barn raising" concept of helping each other in times of need, and enjoying each other the rest of the time.

www.danmosqueda.blogspot.com

Posted by danmosqueda (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was on Twitter when Susan found out. I too found out the same week I had breast cancer. I kept silent and read as she twittered about her scary experience. She gave me the courage to finally say something on Twitter. There are a lot of good people out there. Along with her and her FrozenPea Army I'm not as afraid as I was.
Beth/Splashgirl

Posted by racingcrew (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Twitter is the kind of community you wish you lived in offline. Where you can choose your neighbors, and those neighbors are informed, insightful, caring, and supportive.

The first day the PEAvatars started, 3 of them popped up on my feed in 10 minutes. My query of 'what's with the peas?' was met with, 'they're in support of our friend, @susanreynolds, who has just learned that she has breast cancer.'
Not 'another twitter member' but 'our friend.'

It didn't take long to support the friend of my friends... and it didn't take long before I got to know the fabulous Susan Reynolds herself.

Twitter isn't just a bunch of anonymous people pounding out 140 character soundbites about what they are eating or wearing or watching on TV (although you will find those on there, too, for some reason) - it's real people, with real lives, becoming connected in ways that didn't used to be possible.

~yndygo

Posted by jforexxvqhxhsw (anonymous) on January 10, 2008 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

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