An app-y outcome to help new patients

A local breast cancer survivor has created a virtual friend to help newly diagnosed patients.

HELPING HAND: Breast cancer survivor Sue Davis has developed the Just Diagnosed app to help other patients on their cancer journey. Picture: Caitlin Zerafa

A SINGLE mother who has successfully fought breast cancer is working to make a difference to the lives of other patients.

Sue Whittaker was diagnosed with aggressive stage-three breast cancer in 2017.

Through her experience she found important treatment information was not easily accessible and from there the Just Diagnosed app was born.

"It was a very up-and-down journey for me," Ms Whittaker said.

"It wasn't very nice but this is something good that has come out of it.

"What I realised going through treatment was that there was a need for information to help new and existing patients."

Ms Whittaker first formulated the idea to create the portal 14 months ago, with the hope it would provide up-to-date information that was not readily available.

"Personally it was a massive waiting game for me," she said.

"There is a big unknown for newly diagnosed patients. Unless you know where to go it can be difficult."

Ms Whittaker continued to work full-time during treatment to provide for her two daughters and said an app like this could have made the process easier.

"I found out I was able to finish my treatment in Noosa instead of travel down the coast," she said.

"Knowing who to ... talk to is the first step."

With no experience in app development, Ms Whittaker was overwhelmed by community and allied health support and planned to grow the not- for-profit platform to cater for other cancers in future.

Just Diagnosed is available to download via login.cliccsdigital.com.au/

m/JustDiagnosed/ and will go live at the end of May.

"I just want to help people and make that journey a bit easier," Ms Davis said.

Originally published as An app-y outcome to help new patients