When faced with a new health challenge, whether it is yourself or a family member, you’ve quickly got to become an expert in something you never wanted to be an expert in. Cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease—these are things no one really wants to be forced to research under pressure. Layer on top of that the fact that the average person typically only retains 10% of the information given to them by a specialist and you can see why things quickly become overwhelming and confusing.
Despite decades of research that indicate patients have significantly better outcomes when they get the social support they need, there has not been an easy way of connecting like-illness and like-minded patients. Interestingly, studies also show that being supported and simultaneously supporting others benefits everyone. “I think it’s kind of crazy that you get a diagnosis, leave the hospital and are essentially on your own,” says Lynda Brown, Founder of Curatio “You should have a buddy network and it should be built into your overall treatment.”
I think it’s kind of crazy that you’d leave the hospital and you know get a diagnosis and be all on your own. You should have a buddy network and it should be part of your overall treatment.
Curatio is a free app designed to help you connect with other people facing similar health challenges. This private and personalized social network not only matches people with similar health conditions but then layers in other compatibility variables like location, hobbies, language, and age. On top of helping people connect, the Curatio app supports the healing process through tracking and scheduling tools, education, and curated content related to your condition. Patients can say goodbye to scattered pieces of paper and adopt an all-in-one mobile solution.
Although traditional, face-to-face support groups are an option, they are often not personalized or tailored and can also be difficult to get to. If you’re a working mom and it’s Tuesday at 7:30 pm and you have to drive across town and find a babysitter, chances of making that support group work for you are slim to none. Curatio works by removing a lot of those barriers and matching like with like.
Living through a complicated pregnancy is what inspired Brown to explore solutions around some of the broken pieces of our healthcare system. “I think you get to a point in your career and you have this pretty cool toolkit – you know – and then you need to decide what you’re going to do with the toolkit,” says Brown. “Curatio is really a combination of my life’s passion and the most meaningful work I have ever done”.
The Curatio platform is designed to help patients find each other and the support, information, programs and personalized trackers they need to live their healthiest lives. Founder and CEO, Lynda Brown believes that connecting like-illness patients with each other inside a secure social network can significantly increase patient knowledge, adherence to treatment plans, and valuable peer support.
Curatio did their first commercial launch at the end of 2017. They now have upwards of 4000 users in over 65 countries around the world. “Definitely the best part of every day is that I get to connect with our users,’ says Brown. “They share with me in a very generous way and there is no greater honour.” Curatio in Latin means healing circle and this is a concept that has clearly been applied to both the visual design and the user experience of the app. The idea that everyone needs a healing circle at some point in their lives is core to the Curatio vision.
Having a really great team and investors who also are aligned with your vision and not just your business is very important
I appreciate being plugged into this amazing ecosystem and I am super excited to give back.
Want to learn more about Lynda Brown and the Curatio Team? We recently caught up with Lynda to learn more about her company, why she loves the Okanagan, and what it was like to be in the Dragon’s Den.
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from Curatio's Founder Lynda Brown
