It was early December when Joan, a quiet gracious woman with a passion for bird watching, was rushed to hospital with necrotizing fasciitis, the life-threatening illness commonly called flesh eating disease. “At the beginning it was urgent and scary,” one friend recalls, “and there were lots of people who wanted to be kept in the loop.” Friends and family formed a Tyze network, and before the week was out Team Joan linked almost two dozen people.

“Tyze has been a neat way to organize,” one friend says, reflecting on how the circle of people who care about Joan became visible with the network. “It keeps us all informed and it makes linking with others so easy – you can write a note and it doesn’t take much time but you feel a part of things.” Another friend took the lead in connecting with Joan’s family and then sharing their updates with everyone else via Tyze. Many people in the group posted messages telling Joan that their love and prayers were with her.

“When I think of Joan,” one friend wrote, “ I think of her vast knowledge of eagles. Seems appropriate since the eagle is a symbol of strength.” The messages of encouragement were printed out and brought to the hospital for Joan to read. Not everyone posted, but many people made good use of the information they got from Tyze where they were kept informed of Joan’s room number, her phone number, and the best times to visit. Friends dropped in, and some brought home-cooked meals for Joan’s sisters who were spending long hours at the hospital. With the holidays in full swing, many took the time to phone and share the warmth of the season.