People Beating Cancer
The peoplebeatingcancer.org website is an “interactive health communication application.” The Cochrane Collaboration defines an IHCA as “computer-based, usually web-based, information package for patients that combine health information with at least one of social support, decision support, or behaviour change support.”
When I was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma in February of 1994, I went to the hospital, listened carefully to an oncologist and did everything that told me to do. My induction therapy led to a partial remission and then my autologus bone-marrow transplant, several months later, resulted in a partial remission.
My cancer returned twice more over the next 21 months at which time my oncologist told me that nothing more could be done for me. I turned to the Internet and began to learn about the therapies and lifestyle changes that let to my complete remission. I have been completely cancer free since April of 1999.
Through the Internet and what I learned from it, proved to be so valuable to me, I decided to start a 501c3, The Galen Foundation, and launch an IHCA, first Beating-Myeloma.org and now PeopleBeatingCancer.org.
The mission of PeopleBeatingCancer.org is to help cancer survivors and caregivers manage their health and live better, longer lives.
The Cochrane Collaboration’s discussion of interactive health communication sums up the goal of PeopleBeatingCancer.org-
“People with chronic disease have multiple needs, including information about their illness and the various treatment options; social support; support with making decisions; and help with achieving behaviour change, for example, changes in diet or exercise. Computer-based programmes which combine health information with online peer support, decision support, or help with behaviour change may be one way of meeting these needs, and of helping people to achieve better health.”