Patient Web sites used for news, support in crisis

by sweet east pearl | June 8, 2008 at 09:38 pm
351 views | 5 Recommendations | 1 comment
NEW YORK - When he was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, Dave deBronkart needed an easy way to keep his far-flung friends and family updated. So did the president of the American Medical Association when he fell ill months ago. And so did the mother of a soldier wounded in Iraq who later suffered brain damage.

They all turned to the Internet, setting up individual Web sites to give progress reports. In return, they get posted notes of encouragement and support -- all without having to repeat the details in emotional and exhausting phone calls.

"I had already been burning myself out with phone calls" telling people, said deBronkart, of Nashua, N.H.

DeBronkart, like others, used free online services like CaringBridge and CarePages and their user-friendly formats to quickly set up a Web site to share the news -- good and bad. Patients themselves or family members write about treatment and recovery from illnesses, accidents or other medical crises, such as a premature births.
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Maireid Sullivan
Maireid Sullivan
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 02:40 on June 9th, 2008

sweet east pearl, I like this story. It is good news!

This story was created over 3 months ago, the comment thread is now closed.

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Maireid Sullivan
First Flagged at 2:40 AM, Jun 9, 2008 by Maireid Sullivan

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