Is PKU a culture?

As many of you know, I'm on my 3rd year of college.  I know!  Where has the time gone!  But, this year one of the classes I'm taking is called "American Sign Language 2".  In this class we have an amazing textbook by: Thomas K. Holcomb entitled "Introduction to American Deaf Culture".  

I was reading in it yesterday and I came upon a fascinating concept.  "Culture versus Community".  The textbook talked about the Deaf communities.  But, me being me, I'm going to take the idea another route.  

What is a community?  According to Holcomb it's, "typically perceived as a group of people who happen to reside in a similar geographical location."  Google defined it as, "a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common."  

Would that mean that high school cliques are communities?  In my experience as a swimmer, we definitely have a community.  We all go to the same high school, and have a love of swimming in common.  But, I think the fact that we spend time together really makes it a community.  

If you had a group of people who all loved sports, but didn't spend anytime together... you'd just have a handful of sport-lovers.    

So, my own definition of community would have to be: "a group of people living in the same region, who have a characteristic in common, and who spend time together because of that characteristic."

But what is a culture?  Paraphrasing Holcomb he says, "it is more than just shared language, food, and clothes.  It is the shared values and beliefs of a community."  When I looked at google it didn't have a satisfying answer.  In fact, it tried to define it  as "bacteria and germs" even after I added community to the search engine.

So.,. culture is the shared values and ideals of a community.  (At least on the deeper level.)

Maybe I should change my definition of community.  

Community is a group of people who happen to reside in the same area, who share a characteristic, values, and ideals.  And who are drawn together because of that culture.

I hear the words culture and community thrown around a lot.  All the time I see posters shout "Join our club and be a part of the community!"  

And I wonder, is PKU a culture?  I'm not so sure.  We have a characteristic in common: Phenylketonuria.  But do we have the same beliefs?  Do we have the same ideas?  

Maybe I just don't see it, because where I live we don't have a strong community.  Maybe I don't see it because I've never been to the National PKU Conference.  (Although I was really close to going this summer...)  Maybe I'm just out of the loop.  Or maybe it depends on where you live, and how close-knit the community is...

But if we did... what do think our common beliefs would be?  Is PKU a culture?  (Not rhetorical questions by the way!)

Honestly, what are some common beliefs that you think PKU'ers have?  I'd love to hear some of your ideas.  :)