My mom showed me a great website today that has helped her keep appraised of the treatment of two people very dear to her. CaringBridge.org provides a free, easy-to-use service that allows users to maintain a journal, similar to a blog, and to receive messages of support from family and friends.
From the website:
A CaringBridge website helps keep loved ones informed during difficult times. In return, family and friends give patient and caregiver support through guestbook messages.
Every free, personalized CaringBridge website includes:
- Patient care journal to update family and friends
- Guestbook for messages of love
- Photo gallery
- Free online support for using the service
A dear friend of my mother has twin grandsons, one of whom is being treated for leukemia. The site has helped them in many ways. It provides a fun place for them to share photographs and daily stories with family and prevents his parents from making or taking dozens of calls a day spreading the same news, sometimes difficult to say even once. Family and friends can signup for automatic email delivery of updates which makes following things much easier. The ease of setup is perfect for families lacking someone high-tech enough to fearlessly procure a domain and create a stand-alone blog.
They claim on their site that 15 million users each year use CaringBridge which is an impressive crowd. They also point out that their service is appropriate for “life-changing events” other than illnesses and their treatment, for example military deployment. It’s a great example of a beneficial use of the internet to help keep people together.
11 comments ↓
I have also used CaringBridge, and it provides not just communication for friends and family, but also tremendous healing. Please email everyone you know about it.
When my mom suffered a stroke on Christmas day of 2006, we considered CaringBridge. In our particular circumstance, their acceptable use policies did not fit with the information we needed to distribute. Be sure to read through what they consider taboo information (mostly for privacy act concerns and to keep themselves from being sued in our law suit happy culture.)
Having said all of that, CaringBridge is a great service and I continue to recommend it to people as an option during a serious illness of a family member.
Where do I type in the name of one of your patients to inquire about their progress/condition. Carol Larson
I would like to inquire about the condition of Miles Kishpaugh who was admitted to the hospital two days ago. I am his aunt. Thank you.
I can’t seem to get into neal denno caring bridge web. Has it changed?
Regarding patient inquiries, CaringBridge does not distribute that info but suggests that the Author of the patient’s site be contacted for the correct “web site name.”
One of our top priorities is the security and privacy of the individuals and families who create CaringBridge websites. Therefore, we cannot give website addresses or information about the person who created the website. CaringBridge website names are also not found in web search engines. The only way to receive the CaringBridge website name is by requesting it from the person who created the website (the Author).
Oops! The second paragraph that starts “One of our top priorities” is a quote from their web site - not my own statements.
Get well fast and come home, and we all miss you who said this was Gerhard Boettcher,Muriel Burkhart May Hove, Collette Emery we all thinking of you
I don’t know what to say to you because I haven’t talk to your dad and I don’t know where to begin here so hang in there with me , I suppose you heard that your brother was going to paint for me one of these days but the weather turn cold so couldn’t do it , Don’t think about any thing around at all everything is ok but we still miss you Get better soon
[…] is appropriate for “life-changing events” other than illnesses and their treatment, … credit : […]
This is for Wade Ihry. Wade you are as tough as they come and I want you to know the spirit of the McCullough family is telling you to get your ass out of bed and get back to work on the farm where you belong. We are all rooting for you Wade and I sure as hell hope you get my message because I know my old man would kick me in the ass if I didn’t call or write. Get well right away. Jim McCullough
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