Health Startup Launches an App to Guide Breast Cancer Patients

Health startup Willowglade Technologies plans to launch its “My Breast Cancer Journey” app for iOS and Android devices by the end of the month, the first in a series of planned apps designed to provide information and support for cancer patients, the company told Re/code.

The tool aims to help those battling breast cancer keep track of their medical tests, submit information to clinical trials, access medical literature customized to their conditions and securely share progress with friends and family.

The Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., company faces stiff competition, however. A search for “breast cancer” in Apple’s App Store turns up 200 results, some from well-known institutions like the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Meanwhile, they’re up against established medical brands like WebMD and MayoClinic.

Founder John Papandrea, a health technology veteran who previously worked at SAP, Deloitte and Ernst & Young, said he hopes to stand out by providing information and guidance tailored to users’ precise diagnoses, disease stages and responses to treatments.

The app is free to download, but will be ad-supported. Users can also opt in to allow the company to share information with researchers looking for clinical trial participants. Finally, Willowglade is developing a subscription-based, white-label version of the product that cancer centers can provide to their own patients.

The company’s mission is “empowering patients as they go through the recovery process,” Papandrea said.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Contributions are a key part of the future of Vox

Readers rely on Vox for clear, nuanced coverage that not only illuminates the issues, but poses solutions, too. And we rely on help from our readers: Advertising and grants cover the majority of our costs, but we count on contributions to help us close the gaps in our budget. In fact, we’re looking to reach 95,000 individual contributions before the end of the year. Will you make the next contribution right now? Our average gift is just $20 — and it goes a long way in helping us keep our work free. Vox is here to help everyone understand what’s shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. Join that mission by making a contribution today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via