Launch Health

At our October 8th Innovation Studio at Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, teams pitched their ideas for how to improve the paper tool currently used to monitor patient status throughout treatment by making it into an electronic app.

At our October 7th Innovation Studio at Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, teams pitched their ideas for how to improve the tool currently used to monitor patient status throughout treatment.

At our October 7th Innovation Studio at Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, teams pitched their ideas for how to improve the tool currently used to monitor patient status throughout treatment.

At our October 7th Innovation Studio at Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, teams pitched their ideas for how to improve the tool currently used to monitor patient status throughout treatment.

At our October 7th Innovation Studio at Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, teams pitched their ideas for how to improve the tool currently used to monitor patient status throughout treatment.

A support group for patients to write songs and poems to express their feelings about cancer, treatments, or anything that they have going on.

Pitch: A brochure tailored for individual cancer patients, to inform them of resources for which they are eligible. Also, a video messaging device that patients could use to contact their providers.

Pitch: A smart collar that therapy dogs wear. Patients can press the button on the collar to immediately contact a doctor or other services.

Pitch: Support for patients from local cancer survivors so people know that they’re not alone and that they can survive cancer treatment. Would help people understand that cancer is survivable, that they're cared for, and that there's life after a cancer diagnosis.

Pitch: An “All things cancer” website where everything comes together for people who have cancer, from wigs and wheelchairs to counseling. Also, portable video conferencing to interact directly with a provider.

We traveled to Kentucky to listen to people's stories about health and connectivity.

Pitch: A person who can help patients understand what resources are available to them and helps them connect with those resources.

Pitch: A community-centered ride sharing app that pairs patients needing transportation with volunteers willing to drive them and compensates volunteers through local cancer funds.

Pitch: On-site childcare at cancer treatment facilities.

Pitch: A way to loop together communication between the patient, a patient navigator, the primary care provider, and the specialty care team, possibly through a device or app that matches patient needs/questions with the right person to talk to.

Pitch: A device and application that allows patients to text message their providers with questions.

Pitch: A satellite clinic to reduce the distance patients must travel to access treatment and resource navigation.

Pitch: A transportation program utilizing community volunteers and church vans.

Amber Moore, of McKee, KY is a breast cancer survivor. During treatment, Amber experienced emotional symptoms related to her medication, which also had an impact on her family. She found it especially challenging to support her young children as they struggled with the possible implications of her illness.

Lola Holliman of McKee, KY is a two-time cancer survivor. She told us about some of the most challenging aspects of managing her care. In particular, her home care nurse was not able to administer Lola’s chemotherapy at home, as she had hoped, so she ended up having to travel to Lexington for treatment. Expenses associated with her medication and necessary CT scans were also a hardship.