After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer at age 33, Mailet Lopez wanted a way to connect with someone like herself. After treatment, she and the team at Squeaky Wheel Media started developing a social media platform for people dealing with cancer.
“We wanted to take advantage of the accepted social sharing,” says cofounder Anthony Del Monte about plugging into a world that is growing digitally and socially to connect people who share the same cancer situation and enable them to share their stories. After registering a profile at IHadCancer.com, users can browse other profiles and find a mentor, friend or guide for the cancer journey.
Lopez says people of all different ages, cancer types and locations from around the world are connecting with one another through the website. “We have 13- and 14-year-olds and people in their 90s,” she says. And it’s not only people with cancer looking to connect online but also survivors and caregivers.
“No matter how trivial you may think your experience, it’s worth putting it out there,” Del Monte says, because a newly diagnosed patient or caregiver is going to be looking for someone to talk to who is just like you.
