Method
When we or someone close to us falls ill, our friends and family generally ask the question, "What can I do to help?".
The typical response to this is often a polite refusal ("I'm fine thanks"), because human beings are generally bad at asking for, and receiving help. Meanwhile, lots of daily tasks or opportunities for support go by the wayside. Things don't get done, and stress increases for both the patient and the carers.
CanDo seeks to solve this dilemma in two ways.
1. By provoking the conversation that asking for or receiving help is a strength, not weakness
2. The app is a tool to facilitate delivery of help with required tasks and without the need for awkward conversations that we might otherwise avoid.
CanDo helps deliver a number of positive social and practical benefits to improve quality of life through treatment including a greater focus on overall wellbeing, compliance with treatments and reduction of stress.
Results
There are 3000 users of the CanDo app and we are growing at a rate of 50 new users per week. The average time per day spent on the app is c. 3 minutes, and the app has users all across the globe.
CanDo has gained the support of many highly creditable organisations in the cancer sector including BCNA, NBCF, Cancer Voices, Cancer Council NSW, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, SPHERE, Canteen, the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia and others.
Many hours of tasks / support activities are being generated.
Implications
Access to user data can help inform new approaches for support and care. Future upgrades will consider mood and symptom management with the goal to assist HCPs in providing optimal patient care and support.