The Navicor Group, the Executive Creative Director Marvin Bowe's perspective how social media is helping patient with cancer find answers.

1. ONCOLOGY AD-GUY
September 24, 2010
Social sites are
becoming one of
the greatest
resources for
seniors
particularly those
who suffer from a
Facing Cancer—
chronic disease Why are patients turning to Facebook and other social sites?
like cancer. By Marvin Bowe
I have been working in oncology time. I would call him and he a desire to live. Soon after that, it
marketing and communications, would tell me how no one becomes a mission. What do we
exclusively, for nearly six years understands what he’s going need to know? Over night
and during this time I have seen through. I was fortunate that I whether they like to read or not
many transitions take place. But, know his disease and could find the patient and family become a
the biggest transition is how information quickly for him. It high school student cramming for
patients with cancer gather was at that time when it occurred the final exam hoping to pass and
information regarding their to me most people do not have an move the next grade.
disease. The increased amount of expert family member they can
online activity over the last five call. I remember every call and During my uncle’s battle, they
years, considering the average age email I received, “they want to found several people in similar
of a patient with cancer, is give him this”, “they want to treat situations online that they
impressive. him with that...” I spent most of communicated with on a routine
my time researching terms we basis. This was when I first
One of the most unfortunate didn’t know and directing them realized the value an online
feelings a patient with cancer to sites with information. My community could offer.
faces is the feeling of being alone. family’s days were filled soaking Regardless of how many studies I
Typically many of their friends or up information while riding this knew or what data I could access,
family members have never daily emotional roller coaster. nothing I offered compared to the
walked a mile in their shoes. I words of someone who has gone
remember my uncle being This emotional roller coaster is through the same situation. In
diagnosed with head and neck the case for many patients with addition to networking, my aunt
cancer; I was working on a radio- cancer. First sadness then anger started a blog to log the daily
protectant campaign for head and until eventually those emotions progress for the extended family.
neck cancer therapy during that turn into motivation and desire,
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? PLEASE CONTACT MARVIN BOWE @ MBOWE@NAVICORGROUP.COM

2. ONCOLOGY AD-GUY September 25, 2010
Unfortunately, my uncle did not survive There are several reasons why people
much beyond a year after his diagnosis, over the age of 55 go online, but when
but his story lives on to support patients looking for common themes you will find
and caregivers through the online logs in many studies, three main activities:
that my aunt posted on various blogs email, searching for health information,
related to head and neck cancer for or purchasing something. (social
future patients to read as they venture networking being a very close forth) In
into this scary time in their life and start fact, we are seeing a trend suggesting that
their information gathering. social sites will eventually surpass email
as the most popular activity amongst
Social networks are not seniors. According to Nielson Netview,
email has saw double-digit declines in
child’s play. share of time. While, according to Pew
Research Center, social networking use
Social sites are becoming one of the
among those ages 50 and older nearly
greatest resources for seniors particularly
doubled over the past year (from 22%
those who suffer from a chronic disease
to 42%).
like cancer. In a recent article from NPR,
Tammy Gordon, AARP's senior adviser
for social communications, says a quarter Why might social
of the organization's members are using networks be
Facebook, and the number is rising increasingly attractive to
quickly. Nearly 19 million people ages 55 patients with cancer?
and over used Facebook in July, up from
about 9 million one year ago, according
In a recent survey, Older Adults and
to comScore.
Social Media, Pew Research Center
shows there are two activities which stand
According to a Pew report, Older
out among people living with chronic
Americans and the Internet, sixty-six
disease: blogging and participating in
percent of seniors have looked for health
or medical information online – the same
online health discussions. When other Half of internet
demographic factors are held constant,
percent as the general Internet
having a chronic disease significantly
users ages 50-64
population. In addition, half of online and one in four
increases an Internet user’s likelihood to
seniors now count themselves among the
say they work on a blog or contribute to users age 65 and
Facebooking and LinkedIn masses.
an online discussion or other forum that
helps people with personal issues or
older now use
The concept of seniors online may be
health problems. social networking
hard to grasp for many of you,
particularly if you are one of the many
For my family, finding someone that has
sites.
who think social sites are mostly filled
walked a mile in our shoes helped us take
with tweeners, and teens. Although this Pew Research Center, 2010
our first step.
may have been the case five years ago it’s
not the case today. According to
comScore, a digital measurement
company, 27.4 million people age 55 and
over engage in social networking, up from
16 million one year ago.
Marvin leads the new media development for
Navicor, focusing on Internet linking strategies;
engaging physicians, patients, and caregivers
through online social community dialogue; tracking
online trends and enhancing SEO by maximizing
user-generated content for client’s brands.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? PLEASE CONTACT MARVIN BOWE @ MBOWE@NAVICORGROUP.COM