The RealTime Cancer Community - Online support for young adults, 24/7
The RealTime Cancer Community is an initiative of Young Adult Cancer Canada and it is an interactive online peer support tool that connects young adults and facilitates the sharing of their experiences with cancer. Young Adult Cancer Canada launched the RealTime Cancer community in 2004 with the vision of it being the #1 online cancer community for young Canadian cancer survivors, supporters, and young adults who are looking for inspiration, non-medical information and support.
The RealTime Cancer Community provides young adult cancer survivors and supporters with an outlet to share their cancer stories and lessons learned. Through profiles and articles, they write about relevant topics, such as hair loss, chemo, and fertility, in a way that is specific to young adults dealing with cancer.
Young adult survivors and supporters can create weblogs like Geoff's Journey, to keep their friends and families updated. The online community also facilitates the connection of young adults through the forums section of the site. Here, any user can post and get answers to questions like "how does chemotherapy feel?", offer support to others with their responses and meet other young adults dealing with similar issues.
The online community is consistently monitored by Young Adult Cancer Canada staff.
Measuring Effectiveness
In the fall of 2004, an online survey was conducted with active online community users. Respondents were survivors and supporters. The following questions were rated on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree.
| The RealTime Cancer Community is successful in supporting, informing and inspiring young people (15-30) facing cancer challenges. |
Average Rating: 4.6 |
| This site will benefit young cancer patients. |
Average Rating: 4.8 |
| This site will benefit young cancer patient supporters (supporters are anyone helping others deal with cancer challenges). |
Average Rating: 4.7 |
| I would recommend the RealTime Cancer Community to friend or family facing cancer challenges. |
Average Rating: 4.7 |
Comments From Online Community Users
"I think it's a fantastic resource for youth to gather information and advice regarding their own cancer challenges. For those who have already dealt with cancer, it's a really great place for them to reflect on their experience and offer help to those in need."
~ Survivor
"[I was looking] to talk and listen to what other cancer patients were dealing with and how they were dealing with the same garbage I was going through. I think it's a great place for people to come to who want to know they're not alone and learn how to help/support the people in their lives that have cancer."
~ Survivor
"I just wanted some comfort & to know other people were going though the same thing, to see what everyone thought of it, and reading about my friend suffering cancer and what he was going through made me feel closer to him."
~ Supporter
"In one word: Amazement. I am really impressed with what you've done. I have several friends battling cancer right now, one who lost his battle a year ago yesterday. It really helped me to read the profile's of some of these kids and see how they feel... at times I've wondered "Should I go visit... will I be intruding, what if I cry the whole time..." Now I feel much different. Thanks very much for developing this site, I think it is an invaluable tool for those fighting this fight, and those of us supporting them too."
~ Supporter
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