A cyster of mine posted on Facebook how she was grateful for FB support groups. One group in particular sends out care packages to their members for moral support. What a cool thing to do! I decided I wanted to try and do something like that, but focus on PCOS as a whole, rather than just infertility. Not all cysters are actively seeking to having a family, but they are fighting the same battles as any other cyster.

As I was thinking about this idea and planning, I remembered something fun I did in elementary school. We read a story about a little boy named Stanley that accidentally gets flattened by a bulletin board in his sleep. He discovers that due to his shape, he can do all sorts of cool things, including visit friends by hopping in an envelope! My Flat Stanley visited my grandparents and toured museums. I realized that I wanted to take the idea of Flat Stanley and incorporate it into this care package, so cysters can connect through pictures as well as words.

So here's the plan. The Cysterhood Project will *hopefully* launch Summer 2012. I want to use the next few months to hammer out the details. I will be accepting information from all who want to participate so I can start building itineraries for our packages. I'm still nailing down the contents of the packages but this is the current packing list:
- Journal for you to write in that all other recipients will read.
- A 'Cysterfly' and her passport

The rules/requirements for participating:
Submit your name, mailing address and email address. Wait to receive your package. Once received, take some pictures with your Cysterfly. Write in the journal. Enjoy the gift you received from the last cyster. Pick out a new gift for the next cyster (Spending limit of $10). Email the pictures to us so they can be posted on the blog. You can also write a guest blog post to be posted on this blog. While a Cysterfly is in your care, you'll receive an email with the name and address of her next destination. Then a week or so after arrival, you can send your Cysterfly on her way with a gift! (I plan to keep the postage price under $5)

Feel free to be creative with your gifts! You don't have to purchase anything. If you are crafty, make something! The goal of the Cysterhood Project is to put a smile on every recipient's face! Once a journal is full, the package will be sent back to me and I'll scan each page and post it on the blog for everyone else to see! Then I'll add a new journal and start all over again.

I think this project can be a huge success, but it's up to you! I look forward to seeing all the pictures!

** Due to postal costs, this is currently only available in the United States. If you are willing to pay international shipping, please let me know, so we can eventually include cysters from other countries. **