January 2019.
This new social network allows patients with cancer and their caregivers to connect with people in similar situations to share their experiences.
Eliran Malki, Co-Founder and CEO of Belong.Life
Cancer affects everyone. Whether it has affected you personally, a family member, or a friend, it is hard to find someone who has not been touched in some way by this dreaded disease. Today, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The good news is that some cancers can be cured. But as the disease progresses, patients often feel isolated while battling cancer.
Intimate Questions
Patients often have questions that require answers beyond what cancer care providers can offer. As the body changes and the most intimate aspects of your personal life are affected, you may be embarrassed to discuss such personal matters with your physician. Moreover, many patients yearn for a community that will support them and understand exactly what they are going through, looking for tools to help them deal with their cancer diagnosis.
“The amount of time that doctors give to each of their patients, and what patients choose to share with their physicians, is limited,” says Varda Shalev, MD, MPH, Head of Maccabi and Morris Kahn Institute for Research and Innovation, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel. “Many patients are willing to write openly and honestly on a platform that gives them an option of anonymity and contact with others who are fighting the same battles. That social aspect is filling a crucial role when it comes to patients and physicians obtaining a more complete picture of the diagnosis and treatment process,” Dr. Shalev adds.
