CancerSupportProject.com Launches, Ushering in a New Era of Personalized Online Health Support through Shared Experiences
Next generation online Health 2.0 community enables instant, highly personalized emotional support to cancer patients, caregivers, and loved ones. Built on the powerful 'people-like-me' discovery platform of the Experience Project, and released in conjunction with the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Cancer Support Project is a free resource for the cancer community to connect with others that share their specific life circumstances for support, inspiration and community.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) October 5, 2007 -- Experience Project (EP), the leading online life experience-sharing community, today announces the public launch of the Cancer Support Project (http://cancersupportproject.com). Cancer Support Project (CSP) is the first online health platform dedicated to providing comprehensive, personalized, 'people-like-me' emotional support around a cancer diagnosis for patients, caregivers, and loved ones. CSP takes into account each member's specific life circumstances, including those beyond cancer, to connect people that truly understand each other. The community combines user generated content, blogs from high profile cancer survivors, and resources from leading cancer foundations to assist those facing this frightening and pervasive condition.
Distinct from other online venues, CSP encourages users to remain anonymous while sharing their personal stories, and incorporates the specific life experiences of each member to build a truly personalized support circle comprised of individuals that share deep understanding. For example, the needs of a single mother battling breast cancer are significantly different than that of a middle-aged man with prostate cancer and clinical depression--and each benefits most by being connected to others that share their specific attributes.
By emphasizing that patients are not defined solely by cancer, members can easily connect through topics relevant to their life, such as, "I lost my mother to cancer" or "I battle depression. " As they share topics, the site connects people with similar sets of experiences. In so doing, the emphasis shifts from traditional therapeutic and symptomatic information to enabling users to connect with others that truly understand what they are going through-- be it diagnosis, treatment, care-giving, survival or loss, in conjunction with other aspects of their life. This yields powerful, highly personalized support, which benefits members by reducing stress and anxiety through understanding, community and inspiration.
Launched by Experience Project (http://www.experienceproject.com), the Cancer Support Project leverages the powerful 'people-like-me' discovery platform of EP, a place where hundreds of thousands of members connect anonymously through their shared life experiences. At its core, Experience Project is a place to get positive emotional support around these experiences, providing members comfort in knowing that no matter what direction life may go, they are not alone in their journey. This is particularly appreciated by members going through difficult times, such as a cancer diagnosis or witnessing a loved one facing a serious illness.
"At Experience Project, we've seen the immense power of connecting our members through the experiences that define them, and we've carried that understanding into creating the Cancer Support Project," says Armen Berjikly, founder and CEO of Experience Project. "CSP offers the cancer community the ability to quickly build personalized support circles comprised of people who understand each other well. Discovering people just like you is incredibly empowering, and we're thrilled to introduce a dedicated section of our site to a health issue that, sadly, touches all of our lives."
CancerSupportProject.com Partners:
In hope to bring widespread attention to the critical aspect of emotional support, a selection of high-profile individuals and site partners have joined forces with CSP. One CSP supporter and prostate cancer survivor, TIME Magazine Man of the Year and former Intel CEO Andy Grove, said "although my disease preceded the internet explosion by a few years, I have experienced the power of support of an online community. Today's internet and support groups are a valuable tool for those who are hit by disease. They provide information, education and a sense that you belong."
Diem Brown, who successfully fought ovarian cancer on the very public stage of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge, notes "Through my own fight with ovarian cancer, I know firsthand the power of connecting with others in the same circumstances. The Cancer Support Project addresses that need for emotional support, and I'm excited to be a contributor."
In addition, Experience Project has partnered with several patient-oriented cancer organizations to expand the community's offering. CSP members will receive free access to the resource and reference materials of cancer non-profit organizations (NPOs) and EP's partner foundations, including the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, the Hirschberg Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, the Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation, the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, and many others. Additionally, users will have the ability to donate or volunteer with the member organizations of their choice.
"We welcome partnering with the Experience Project on this important endeavor," said Alan Kaye, Chairman of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition. "We believe this new product may help bridge the emotional needs of many people battling cervical cancer and HPV disease."
"We are excited and proud to support and work together with the Cancer Support Project," said Robert A. Smith, Executive Vice President, with the Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation. "In touching millions of lives each year, our foundation truly appreciates the value of online emotional support for patients, family, and friends. Together, we can truly save the lives and lift the spirits of those in need."
Experience Project Members Speak Out:
Experience Project member Shatarupa Majumdar said, "While facing the cancer diagnosis of a close relative, it was extremely helpful to share my story and quickly find people who understood my particular experience. Realizing you are not alone is incredibly empowering."
Another Experience Project member Alix Rubenstein said, "When I lost my father to cancer several years ago, I remember searching for things like, "My dad died of cancer" or "I lost my dad to lung cancer". I was desperately seeking others that had been through the same kind of tragedy with whom I could connect for support. My search turned up empty. I wish Cancer Support Project would have been online back then and I am so happy to find it now."
San Francisco Launch Event Honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
The Experience Project celebrated the launch of CancerSupportProject.com and the kickoff of Breast Cancer Awareness month by hosting a cocktail reception at the San Francisco Union Square bar and lounge, Rye on October 1st. Speakers at the event included CSP supporters Carol Lin, former anchor at CNN who lost her husband to cancer in 2003, as well as Bob Lloyd, chairman of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Lloyd was a close friend of the foundation's namesake, well known North Carolina State University coach Jimmy Valvano, who passed away from cancer in 1993. Carol's powerful journal chronicling her experience with Will's diagnosis can be seen at CancerSupportProject.com.
For further information about CancerSupportProject.com, please contact Allyson Stinchfield at (415) 402-0230 or via email at allyson(at)atomicpr.com
About Cancer Support Project: Cancer Support Project is an online cancer community enabling cancer patients, survivors, and loved ones to connect with others who share their specific experiences, combining truly personalized emotional support with traditional aspects of online health resources.
CSP is a part of the Experience Project, the leading online life experience-sharing community. Experience Project allows people to meaningfully connect with others through multiple anonymously-shared experiences. EP provides a platform for members to connect with others who understand.
The Cancer Support Project can be found at http://www.cancersupportproject.com.
Experience Project can be found at http://www.experienceproject.com.
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