Cancer Journey - Backgrounder

CancerJourneyApps is a new series of apps from Willowglade Technologies that support people who are battling cancer.  This September, the company will launch My Breast Cancer Journey on iOS and Android as their first of the series, supporting the hundreds of thousands of women in the U.S. who are projected to receive a diagnosis this year.

A cancer diagnosis isn't always life threatening but it is a highly emotional and confusing time.  CancerJourneyApps' primary goal is to ease the overwhelming and often isolating emotions experienced during this time by helping people take control and educate themselves, as well as their loved ones.

CancerJourneyApps makes it easy to find accurate, understandable and relevant information. It also provides a fully customized experience that includes self-care programs, individualized education and an integrated personal support network.  

The apps will be intuitive and easy to use, helping each person cope with the unique clinical and emotional challenges of understanding their specific diagnosis and treatment. Featuring a highly tailored and personalized informational experience, the apps will provide just the right content at the right time for each person's specific journey.

For example, when a breast cancer patient downloads the My Breast Cancer Journey app they will answer questions on their diagnosis, what tests they would like to record and whether they want to contribute their data to research.  These answers are used to determine where the user is in their journey, and this progress is visually displayed on the home screen, marking the transition from one phase to the next in real time.

Users will also have access to information on a vast array of topics, including how to understand a diagnosis, prepare for surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, or simply to achieve a better quality sleep. It also enables secure sharing of documents with selected friends and family. As more information is shared throughout treatment, each friend and family member will gain clearer, more accurate insights into how their loved one might be feeling and progressing, while learning vital information about how they can help at any stage along the way.

John Papandrea, Willowglade Technologies’ founder, President and CEO, has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare IT arena. He has always believed that the use of information technology has enabled doctors and nurses to improve the way patients are treated in the hospital. With the inception of Willowglade Technologies, and the CancerJourneyApp series, he aims to bring easy-to-use, smart, professional grade solutions directly to patients and their loved ones.

Over his career, John has led global healthcare IT businesses and has extensive experience in the healthcare professional services arena.

Stats on cancer from Cancer Facts & Figures 2014, American Cancer Society:

- In 2014, there will be more than 1.6 million new cancer cases in the U.S.

- It's approximated that nearly 600,000 Americans will die of cancer this year, almost 1,600 people per day.

- Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, accounting for nearly one of every four deaths.

- Cancer is expected to surpass heart disease as the number one cause of death in the US by 2025.