By Kiersten Anderson, MSW, LICSW

Most people will agree that the COVID-19 pandemic was, on net, damaging to most individuals’ psychosocial relationships. However, in the face of a pandemic that demanded social isolation emerged a normalization of technology as a means of bringing people together. I cannot think of a better example of this than the virtual community that has been created through one of our Lifestyle Medicine programs, PAVING the Path to Wellness.

Recently, we started up a new season of our PAVING the Path to Wellness Lifestyle Medicine program, a 12-week program offered bi-annually. The PAVING program for breast cancer survivors was originally developed by Medical-Oncologist Dr. Amy Comander in collaboration with Lifestyle Medicine Physician Dr. Beth Frates with the goal to help breast cancer patients of all ages achieve their optimal level of wellness.

Following a 12-step program, also referred to as the “PAVING wheel,” participants receive education on the key principles of lifestyle medicine, including (but not limited to): physical activity, healthy eating, sleep, stress resiliency, and the power of personal connections. The PAVING program features guest speakers with backgrounds ranging from licensed professionals within the oncology field to past PAVING participants and breast cancer survivors. Moreover, participants work together to create a supportive and collaborative environment where they can learn from and support one another as they strive to adopt and sustain healthy habits and positive lifestyle changes after a cancer diagnosis.

This program has grown significantly over the past several years. In the beginning, PAVING the Path to Wellness was an in-person program comprising three facilitators and one group of 12 women with breast cancer diagnoses. PAVING has since transformed into a virtual program with over six facilitators, whose backgrounds range from oncologist, oncology APP/NP, oncology RN, medical research assistant, and oncology social work, for three concurrent groups with about 20 women per group.

One factor contributing to the growth of this program is the use of technology, a decision originally made because of the pandemic. We likely could not accommodate nearly as many patients in an in-person setting due to the practical logistics of finding a large enough space versus three separate spaces. Additionally, through the flexibility of a virtual platform, we can offer groups both during the day and in the evening, increasing accessibility to the program while minimizing disruption to each individual’s life. Significant time can be saved as our participants do not have to leave home during rush hour or in the middle of their workday to get to the hospital.

In fact, not only do our participants have the ability to remote into our virtual program from the comfort of their homes, they also have the option to login from anywhere in the world.  Quite a few of our current participants have joined us from outside of Massachusetts – several from adjoining New England states, some from Florida, Mexico, and even one in Bermuda. Moreover, for many of our patients, it can be a challenge to prioritize health and wellness given the many other demands of life. Fortunately, given the virtual platform, our participants no longer have to choose between themselves and their other responsibilities as many now join us from the parking lots of family sporting events or in their cars after work.

As the worst of COVID-19 appears to be behind us, we begin to explore the “new normal” left in its wake. Some aspects of life from before COVID re-emerge while new post-COVID changes are here to stay. Even though the pandemic-driven isolation is over and a return to in-person meetings would be possible, PAVING continues to remain a virtual program despite the common argument that the quality of social connections is less than compared to meeting in-person. In fact, our PAVING communities have overcome this feared “social firewall” as they demonstrate a willingness to be open and vulnerable with one another, and effective conversations have not been diminished by being online. As each season of PAVING comes to an end, our participants continue to socialize and gather, both in-person and virtually, serving as an example of the meaningful connections and interpersonal bonds that can be made during these virtual meetings.

If you are interested in more information about the program, please feel free to reach out to me or check out the information at the following links:

• PAVING the Path to Wellness Workbook – Healthy Learning
• PAVING the Path to Wellness for Breast Cancer Survivors (massgeneral.org)