Tullamore Cancer Survivor Launches Support App After Personal Loss
Tullamore cancer survivor Vanessa Mooney launched a free digital platform named the "Someone Like Me, Your Cancer Community" app to connect patients, families, and individuals dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Mooney developed the application following her own breast cancer diagnosis in December 2019 and the subsequent death of her sister, Von, who passed away from lung cancer.
App Features and Current Trial at St Vincent’s University Hospital
The application has already surpassed 200 downloads and is currently being trialled at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin. The platform serves individuals at every stage of the disease, including patients undergoing active treatment, those living with secondary or metastatic cancer, individuals in remission, and family members supporting a loved one.
Mooney stated that the project stemmed from her own experiences in treatment alongside her sister. We understood each other in a way that nobody else could,
she said of her relationship with Von, adding that her sister’s death nearly broke me.
She designed the software so newly diagnosed patients would not have to wonder who understands their situation.
Mooney Offers Free Platform to Support Diagnosed Users
The platform is available for download on the App Store and Google Play at no cost. Mooney stated that support and personal connection should not depend on financial resources.
I can’t change what happened to me. I can’t bring my sister back. But I can try to change what happens to the person diagnosed after me,
Mooney explained regarding her motivation for building the community network.
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