Inciting Patient Engagement and Action: Is MY cancer different?

We are intrigued by the launch of Is My Cancer Different? and its potential impact on both patients and the business.

By Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Oct 5, 2011

We are intrigued by the launch of Is My Cancer Different?  and its potential impact on both patients and the business.

Is My Cancer Different? is an unbranded educational website that promotes a movement of sharing, with the intent of prompting patient dialog with their oncologist.  The simple -but compelling- question is designed to raise awareness that each person’s cancer is different and to get patients to ask their oncologist to see if their cancer might respond to a more individualized cancer treatment.

The site supports Clarient, a GE Health Company’s new molecular test that may help doctors identify which treatment can best target a person’s particular breast cancer.  Interestingly, Clarient chose to share the official website launch during the 2011 Social Health Summit #SXSH  that we attended, along with many other pharma/healthcare social media enthusiasts, ePatients, and Patient Opinion Leaders (POLs). [Be sure to read Shwen Gwee's recap: The 6 P's of Healthcare]

During the conference, Is MY cancer different? received twitter support; following the conference, ePatient’s wrote blogs. Here are a few examples of the word of mouth generated over the last few weeks:

Blogs: Cancer Hawk , Diabetes in Spain,  Chronic Babe, Where We Go Now, Aaron Outward, Stem Cell Transplant, Social Media Club

This campaign reflects many of the points we raised in our complementary eBook: 2011 Brand Champion Health Check.

  • Are you working to deliver more personalized treatment, content and experiences? [pg. 8]
  • Given smaller targets, how can you leverage existing social networks and dialog to online or virtual communities, to extend messaging to low incidence patient groups in a cost effective way? To create buzz? To enable 'peer-to-peer' healthcare? [pgs. 8-9]
  • Are you speaking with a voice that reveals humanity—in a conversational tone, with personality, empathy and true emotions? Are your choice of words simple, using the language of your patients and caregivers? [pg. 10]
  • Are you doing your part to stimulate patient learning and involvement; to encourage patients to be their own best advocates and health team partners? [ pg. 10]
  • How can your brand help to encourage greater trust and dialog between doctors and their patients and families, to help improve patient outcomes? [pg. 15]

Brand Champion Health Check: Is Your Brand In Shape To Win?
View more presentations from Ellen Hoenig Carlson - Advance MarketWoRx

 
Is My Cancer Different? is a great example of brand champion leadership.  They have committed to a challenge of 1 million shares in 1 million minutes. What do you think? Will they make it?

Feel free to join the movement and help spread the simple question that can make a huge difference in the fight against cancer. Follow @ismycancerdiff  on twitter and/or facebook. 

You can also learn more about the ePatient movement at epatients.net and join The Society of Participatory Medicine.