CaringBridge mobile features

CaringBridge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free websites that connect family and friends during a serious health event, care and recovery.

iPhone Application

A free CaringBridge application is available for download from the App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch users. This streamlined version of the website makes it easy to visit a personal CaringBridge site as well as leave guestbook messages.
A second release of our iPhone app will provide easier access for CaringBridge authors to manage their site, including adding journal entries and photos.

Coming Soon: Mobile-Optimized Website

The CaringBridge mobile website will provide a streamlined experience for anyone visiting CaringBridge from their web-enabled smartphone. It is formatted to fit smartphone screens and provide CaringBridge users with quick access to their loved one’s health news.

Learn more by visiting http://www.caringbridge.org

Tell someone about CaringBridge today

I got this e-mail today from the founder of CaringBridge. Maybe you got it too:

Right now, there’s another family facing a devastating health situation that needs the support, healing and connection a CaringBridge community provides. But they don’t know about CaringBridge.

If you know someone facing cancer, pregnancy complications, or a serious injury, tell them about CaringBridge today. They will be so thankful.

CaringBridge is a great way for people to find, give, and receive emotional support as they are going through a medical illness. I'm sure we all know someone who is dealing a medical condition like cancer, lung disease, dementia, etc. Why don't you tell them about CaringBridge?

Visit: http://www.caringbridge.org/

An amazing cancer survivor

One of my personal friends was fighting for his life several months ago because of cancer. He shared his story through CaringBridge and I prayed many prayers for him and his family. It's amazing as I look at him now and see that he has a remarkable life after undergoing intense treatment with chemotherapy and surgery. At several points in his life, he was critically ill with infections and other medical problems. To be quite frank, there were many days when I wondered if he was going to survive.

I had a chance to spend some time with him and his family over this holiday season. I realized that we often take so many things in life for granted. We take our families for granted. We take our health for granted. Life is simply too short.

As I prepare for the New Year, I hope to live with a renewed perspective. Our lives could end at any time. We could die due to cancer, sudden cardiac death, an accident, etc. There are simply so many things that could suddenly end our lives. We may get filled with a surge of gratitude when we live through something as devastating as cancer, but it should not take something that drastic to impact our perspectives.

Don't forget to donate to CaringBridge

Thanks to modern Internet technology, people with illnesses are finding support and community through social media websites like CaringBridge. Perhaps you know someone who has been personally touched by CaringBridge. Maybe it's even you or a close family member. I have a good friend who used CaringBridge to keep people updated when he was going through a significant struggle in his life battling cancer. This holiday season, while you're in the spirit of giving, don't forget to donate to support CaringBridge. To give a donation, visit: http://www.caringbridge.org/donate

CaringBridge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free websites that connect family and friends during a serious health event, care and recovery.

Camp Twitch and Shout

I love summer camps. However, "Camp Twitch and Shout" is not your typical summer camp. This is a camp for people who have Tourette syndrome (according to Wikipedia is also called Tourette's syndrome, Tourette's disorder, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, GTS or, more commonly, simply Tourette's or TS). It's a neurological disorder characterized by motor and voice tics.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three out of every 1,000 school-age children are believed to have Tourette syndrome. The cause is unknown, but genetics appear to play a role. Most children develop the condition between 7 and 10, and if their tics are mild to moderate, they usually require no medicine to control them. Symptoms usually peak during the late teens or early 20s.

What goes on at Camp Twitch and Shout? Children with Tourette's get to have fun. It's so great to see social support groups like these camps. We have CaringBridge and other online social support sites for people who are struggling with various health conditions. When you get to meet at a camp, interact, and have fun, then I'm sure some unique friendships develop. Click here for the CNN story.

Support CaringBridge

CaringBridge has been such a powerful social networking tool for some of my close friends and colleagues who have gone through serious medical conditions. Please support this site that has been a "lifeline during health crisis" to many individuals according to CNN. A good friend of mine has been posting regular updates on CaringBridge so that friends can stay updated. Many tears and prayers have been poured out for this individual.

If you know someone who is going through a medical crisis (such as cancer) or some other type of life-changing medical event, encourage that person to find social support. There are many resources out there and CaringBridge is only one example. According to CNN, "Other popular sites include CarePages, Planet Cancer for young adults, and Group Loop, where teens with cancer can chat with other teens. The American Cancer Society's Cancer Survivors Network also offers plenty of support." Remember that support networks can also be very good for family members who are at risk for depression and anxiety during these types of stressful situations.

Medicine and Blogging Technology

Blogging has really changed the art of medicine in several ways. First, patients and family members have ways to support each other and learn from each other though patient blogs, advocacy sites, foundations, and other support groups. We've seen sites like CaringBridge provide tremendous support to families in distress. This has really enhanced the ability for patients to access resources and other important tools that can help them and their families as they cope with chronic and serious medical illnesses. Blogging technology really has made a direct impact in the lives of patients.

The other way that blogging has changed the landscape of healthcare is through the blogs written by physicians and other healthcare professionals. Patients now have ways to learn about certain disorders by reading some of the educational content produced by certain clinicians. Also, healthcare providers now have an easier way to stay tuned with current medical events by subscribing to RSS feeds and visiting medical blogs. In some cases, patients also have ways to directly communicate with providers by leaving comments.

Blogging technology continues to evolve as Web 2.0 permeates the healthcare space and more and more doctors are starting to see the value of the blogosphere. Through my blog, I've had the opportunity to interact with patients, students, doctors, nurses, researchers, and others interested in the healthcare industry. It's a fantastic way to build a social network and learn more about the things that you're passionate about. For me, I'm passionate about technology, medicine, public health, and education. This blog has allowed me to share some of my thoughts and it's also allowed me to look at our current healthcare system and see how advances in technology have been changing the world of medicine.