October is finally here and it’s time to rejoice in all that it represents: Beer festivals, pumpkin patches, homemade spiced cider and Halloween. But one of the most important aspects of October is that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As football teams across the country strap on their pink cleats and runners mark their start, technology is also doing its part to make the lives of cancer patients easier. Here are six apps that promote breast health and help cancer patients with everyday activities.
Check Yourself!
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS and Android
According to the Keep A Breast Foundation, nearly 40 percent of diagnosed breast cancers are self-detected. However, remembering to do a monthly self-examination is difficult to do when life gets in the way and our daily schedules are constantly packed. To solve this problem, Keep A Breast developed an app to educate young women on how to properly conduct a self-examination and reminds users to complete their monthly examination at the recommended time — right after their menstrual cycles. So, ladies, no more excuses. After taking those selfies, make sure to check yourself.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhrTyG1Kiuo[/youtube]
Med Helper
Cost: Free for iOS, $3.99 for Android
Compatibility: iOS and Android
Cancer or not, as we age, our medicine cabinets tend to fill up with little orange pill bottles that are labeled with words that may as well be from another planet. Besides having to understand what we’re putting into our bodies and for what reasons, we also have to remember to take our medications. Enter Med Helper. This handy app reminds users when to take their medications, notifies them of doctors appointments and alerts them when their prescriptions are running low. Especially helpful for cancer patients who have to balance a range of pills, treatments and doctors appointments, Med Helper helps ease the challenges that comes with disease.
CareZone
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS and Android
Between picking up the kids from school, running between soccer and ballet practice and going to doctors appointments, the life of a family is a never-ending, busy cycle, but parents say it’s worth it. But what if you could take the to-do list out of your head and simply focus on the good? CareZone is an app that helps family members find some sanity in a world of appointments by creating a private network that shares medical information, schedules and updates. Being able to rest assured that everyone has what they need at a touch of a button is a relieving feeling, especially if you have to balance cancer treatment appointments at the same time.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8WI4I1S5XA[/youtube]
Early Detection Plan
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS and Android
By now, you may have noticed that there is a theme with some of the apps and that is that early detection is important. Created by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, this app helps women create a plan to detect breast cancer in its early stages. Early Detection Plan sends you reminders to perform routine self-exams and to schedule clinical breast exams and mammograms based on your age and health history. The app also creates an exam timeline so it’s easy to see which exams you have completed and what exams are coming up. Along with this, Early Detection Plan maps nearby clinics based on your location and provides users information on clinical breast exams, mammograms and how to perform breast self-exams.
Beyond The Shock
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS
Also created by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Beyond The Shock is an app that helps cancer patients move beyond the whirlwind of emotions that may come with a diagnosis. Designed to address the concerns and questions patients and their families may have, Beyond The Shock acts as a resource for everything breast cancer related. For example, users can not only learn about what exactly breast cancer is and how it forms, but they can also gain an understanding of breast anatomy and types of tumors. Along with this, the app acts as a social network of support where patients can ask and answer questions, as well as hear real stories about women who are going through the same experiences. Overall, the app aims to help patients overcome the early and emotional weeks so that they can take action to moving forward in their treatment, attitude and life.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS
Going through the treatment stages of breast cancer is difficult enough that patients shouldn’t feel like they are trying to crack the Da Vinci Code whenever a health official speaks with them. To solve this problem, Breastcancer.org developed the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide. The app includes a glossary of medical terms, illustrations and explanations as well as personalized research articles so patients can keep up-to-date with the latest news in cancer research. Along with this, the app walks patients through breast cancer pathology reports and other tests so that they can better understand their treatment plans.
Remember to check yourself and exercise regularly! Check out these gadgets to keep you fit.
