Survivor launches cancer app
A Taranaki cancer survivor has created something that he wishes had existed when he was fighting the disease – not just for him, but for his family.
Josh Hickford and Cancer Society Taranaki have officially launched Ripple, a smartphone app that’s a platform for everyone affected by cancer.
The app is for people battling the disease and those around them, with forums full of information.
‘‘It will essentially become a library in time,’’ Hickford said.
The 30-year-old battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017 and has always said he wished he had someone to talk to who had been through the experience and was close in age – hence the app.
‘‘It would have at least linked me with one person who had what I had.’’
Plus, he said, there were things he didn’t want to ask his family.
‘‘Sometimes it’s too personal. Sometimes you want to ask a stranger.’’
After being declared free of cancer, Hickford went on to join Survivor NZ in an attempt to tell his story and set up a system for people in a similar situation.
Then he came up with Ripple, a place where people can ask questions, with anonymity if they wish, or track down existing forums and read over them.
There’s also the opportunity for people to get in contact with forum-starters publicly or in private.
Hickford said he’s been calling the app a gift to the nation from
Taranaki, as everything, except for the developers in Palmerston North, has been carried out in his home region.
‘‘It’s bigger imagined.’’
He raised $32,000 himself and had local sponsors and businesses jump on board to help out.
Hickford sees the app being in every household in the country in future.
He said one-in-three New Zealanders gets cancer and he wants to be able to help when he can.
‘‘I want it to become a one stop shop for cancer support in New Zealand.’’ than
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The app is now available Android and Apple.
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