Cancer app aims to boost young patient wellbeing

The family of a 24-year-old woman who died from cancer is helping to develop an app aiming to improve the wellbeing of young people with the disease.

Huddersfield-based charity the Ella Dawson Foundation is working with technology firm Careology to provide support to patients aged between 18-30.

Ms Dawson died in July 2021 two years after she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with the charity set up in her memory the following month.

Her sister, Natasha Dawson, said Ella had been passionate about wellbeing throughout her cancer experience and would be “really proud” of the app.

The Careology app allows cancer patients to manage and track symptoms and communicate with clinicians and healthcare providers.

The partnership will see the charity's support embedded within the app for patients to use across the UK, beginning at specialist cancer hospital the Royal Marsden in London.

Ms Dawson, who works for the charity, said: “When you are told you have cancer in your teens or twenties, so many people think that they’re the only ones.

“Some people don’t have other people they’re aware of in that age group, and having these platforms to reduce that isolation and hear from other people and know you’re not alone is so powerful.”

The app's support includes information about managing mental health, finding like-minded friends and providing exercise tips.

Paul Landau, app founder, said it came about five years ago after his wife’s cancer treatment led him to realise how “overwhelming” the journey was for patients.

“Careology was designed to better support someone going through cancer and then connect that person back to a broader support network,” he said.

“There’s around 2,300 teenage and young adult diagnoses each year in the UK, so the aspiration is to support as many of those people as possible.”

Ms Dawson said the charity had supported 350 people since its launch two years ago.

Discussing her sister's experience, she said: “When she was going through treatment she was very passionate about wellbeing, there are so many stories of her doing yoga and the consultant walking in.

“She wanted to live well to her last day and she didn’t find that there was tailored support for her at that time – that’s where the charity came about after she passed away.”

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