“Nowadays there’s an app for everything” — and it’s true.
While this usually means ridiculous games and other fun ways to pass the time, it also means there are a lot of useful apps out there, especially if you’re suffering from a disease like cancer. These particular apps will make your life easier as a cancer patient, but there’s a wide range to choose from. To find the one that suits you best, try out a few and see which works for you.
ADAO Asbestos information
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization created an app that has information on how to avoid exposure to asbestos and advice about mesothelioma treatment. The app’s goal is to help patients navigate the health care system and find treatments and hospitals that can provide the right care. It also allows users to report asbestos-related problems or ask questions about the toxin. Unfortunately, right now, this app is only available for iOS devices.
MORE: How harmful is asbestos?
My Chemo Brain
One of the main side effects of chemotherapy is “fog” over a patient’s mind that can cause temporary memory problems (often referred to as “brain fog”). This app, developed by a cancer patient and the CrowdCare Foundation Inc., helps patients by recording and remembering important details for them. The user can dictate or write notes about important information so that it’s all in one place for their next appointment. The app also has a recording option so that the user can record what their doctor tells them and then provide that recording to someone that might need it, like their caregiver, or listen to it later to help them remember details that might have slipped their mind.
CareZone
Sometimes the amount of information you have to deal with and store on a daily basis is too much for a single person to deal with, especially if you have to remember things like medication details and schedules. This app wants to make the whole process a lot simpler by offering patients a few very cool features: e.g., take a picture of your medication and the app will automatically store its name and dosage. It also offers reminders, schedules, a calendar, a journal and many other features that can help you and your healthcare team.
Cancer.Net
This app was created by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It has features similar to other apps as it saves information about prescriptions (like photos of labels and bottles), a tracker that keeps up with your symptoms, guides to more than 100 types of cancer and examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor.
Pocket Cancer Care Guide
As the name suggests, this app, made by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, is a digital pocket guide for cancer care. It lets its users note doctor’s answers, link a patient’s appointments to a calendar and it offers a comprehensive glossary of medical terminology, which patients usually end up needing quite often due to all the medical terms.
PearlPoint The Cancer Side Effects Helper
Everyone that’s ever been through or is going through cancer treatment knows that the side effects are incredibly overwhelming. This app was made by PearlPoint Cancer Support to help patients deal with those side effects by finding out what’s causing them and what might help minimize discomfort. Last but not least, this app links to the developers (Pearlpoint) online archive where the user can find several support resources.
MORE: How social media is supporting people through cancer
Mesothelioma Research News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
