This afternoon I found a Tweet from a colleague, a journalist who happens to be a mom in my community:
Tweet from SuSaw:
“RT @JenSinger: Hey, baby. What’s your blood type? Nothing against the Big Pink Machine… http://ow.ly/URkg
As a trained hematologist (blood doc), oncologist and breast cancer survivor, I couldn’t resist checking this out. Here’s what I discovered:
The link traces to MommaSaid.net. Turns out MammaBlogger Jen Singer counts herself among lymphoma survivors in remission. Another mom in remission, I might add -
Jen clues us in on a new breast cancer awareness campaign that migrated to Facebook but three days ago – breast cancer awareness ? I updated my Status with my Bra colour ? and, as of this moment, has over 57,000 fans. Her solidarity with breast cancer patients and their loved ones is very real. She’s at increased risk, among other reasons for her sensitivity to the issue.
Jen plugs for greater public consciousness of other malignancies including tumors that arise from blood cells – conditions like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma. She’s particularly concerned about a young neighbor, a teenager with recurrent leukemia, who needs blood now.
In a post “O Positive is the New Pink” she writes:
“So, I ask you this: Please put your blood type in your Facebook status and ask your friends to do so, too, to raise awareness for lymphoma and leukemia. Mine is O+, a blood type…
I was blown away by this, and impressed. What social media might do for the practice of hematology!
With just a few clicks at the keyboard and some thousands of on-line connections, one lymphoma survivor has improved the chances that one girl with leukemia will get the platelets she needs. And, maybe thanks to the Facebook blood typing information campaign, more potential blood donors will connect with those who need cells in the future.
Last year, Phil Baumann listed 140 potential applications for Twitter in health care. I was curious but skeptical. Now I’m partly persuaded, at least.
Besides, just think what three moms can do. It takes a village…
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More soon – on giving blood, blood types and blood cells.
Elaine,
It is rather amazing what media technologies can do for us if we know how to use them (instead of them using us — which I’m finding out is something we will have to be mindful of).
My Twiiter list for health care was really a way to start a conversation — not something to be taken completely literal: there’s obvious problems with using Twitter in health care. Still, I hope the industry starts to recognize and exploit these technologies, rather than pretending it’s still 1985.
Anyhow, I’m glad to see some benefit from these media. Let’s hope we see more positive use cases.
Phil Baumann
@PhilBaumann