LivingWith™ App Review

Thank you Pfizer for sponsoring this post. Join Pfizer’s #InspirationLives initiative by sharing your story with the hashtag on Facebook and Instagram to support and inspire those who have been affected by cancer, and be sure to check out the LivingWith™ mobile app available via iTunes and Google Play!

Two years ago, my mother passed away after her battle with bile duct cancer. She was a beautiful soul. She was funny, smart, resourceful, hardworking and kind. My mother has always been there for me and has been my biggest supporter. After her diagnosis with cancer, I had the opportunity to do the same for her. We worked together to seek the best courses of medical action. She trusted me to make decisions regarding her care, household and finances, and to do everything that she would’ve done for herself if she could. We quickly learned that there was an abundance of new information we had to absorb, changes that needed to take place and never-ending decisions to be made. With so much to manage, it was difficult to stay organized. I did my best with the tools I had, but I wished there was a way to make it easier. I’m sure many people have wished for the same thing. Thankfully, there’s an app that can help: LivingWith™.  

This is Living with Cancer™ is an initiative created by Pfizer that shares inspiring stories and provides people living with cancer and their loved ones with LivingWith™, a free mobile app designed to help patients and caregivers manage life with cancer and organize certain important information in one place. The LivingWith app brings into focus and helps organize all there is to keep up with in the life of a cancer patient. From logging medication history and schedules, to tracking pain and moods, to mapping out a support system of friends and family who can take part in care as requested—it’s really a game changer.

After my mother was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), I became her primary caregiver. There were so many appointments, tasks, medications and important notes to keep up with. I crammed every piece of information into a notebook. When I’d need the info I wrote in my notebook, you could find me nervously scrambling through the pages to find the right scribble amongst all the others. If I had access to the LivingWith app then, it may have helped me stay more organized.

 

Favorite Features of the LivingWith app.

• You can take photos of important documents like medication lists and insurance paperwork and file them in folders you can create within the app
• The app features a calendar that may help with scheduling and setting reminders
• There are included resources, such as articles and other literature tailored to people living with cancer and tips for dealing with some of the challenges it creates
• The app features an innovative way to keep in contact with, make requests from and share information with a patient’s circle of support. Requests can be made for services and tasks like transportation, meals, handiwork, childcare, errands and visits, helping a person keep track of their needs and get them met
• LivingWith also allows you to track your mood, pain, sleep and steps and integrate with other health apps and wearables
• Additionally, there is a note-taking section of the app where one can jot down questions for medical providers, get info about test results or appointments or make a voice note, saving this information directly in the app

LivingWith can be a tremendous help in the management of many factors that accompany a cancer diagnosis. Tracking trends and providing a dedicated space for keeping notes, information and other important documents are 2 things this app can help with. Additionally, incorporating the ability to map out a person’s support systems, share information and connect with members of those systems through the app is an especially useful feature. I’m so glad that this app and initiative exists and can help patients manage key components of their journey with cancer.

For more information and to download the LivingWith mobile app, please visit www.ThisIsLivingWithCancer.com. Patients and their loved ones also can find the initiative on Facebook and Instagram.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.