A two-time cancer survivor from Northallerton has launched a new app to help combat loneliness amongst young people with cancer.
Brad Gudger, 27, founder of pioneering cancer community support app Alike was first diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in 2013, aged 19.
Following treatment, the disease relapsed and required more extreme treatment.
While he was isolated in a hospital ward awaiting a bone marrow transplant in 2018, he was inspired to begin work on a revolutionary project that would completely change how people in the cancer community stay connected and tackle loneliness.
With four years’ experience working with national and international organisations such as Teenage Cancer Trust, NHS England, and the United Nations, Gudger used his network and experience to build Alike.
Within the first few hours/weeks, hundreds of people have already signed up to the app.
App user Enkay, 24, was diagnosed with Clear Cell Sarcoma in February 2019.
She said: “On the Alike app, you don’t have to talk about cancer if you don’t want to, but you know everyone understands, so if you want to talk about cancer you can.
“It’s a safe space where we can talk about our experiences, but we can also just talk about normal things like our interests.”
Gudger said: “What’s extraordinary is that 83% of young people diagnosed with cancer experience loneliness during and after treatment, and nearly four in five of them want to interact online with other young people in similar situations – but there is no digital network to connect them
“Research has found that loneliness increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%.
“In young people facing a cancer diagnosis, loneliness is a major factor in survival and long-term outcomes. We’ve interviewed users and found some of them have even contemplated suicide because of how alone their diagnosis made them feel.
“Our app is about stopping that loneliness, and giving people the space to talk about what they’re going through with others who understand.”
The Alike app is available to download on the App Store and Google Play.
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