There are a variety of ways to find another person that has a similar diagnosis, health history, age, sex, education, and financial situation. Thanks to modern communication, including video services such as Skype , the person does not have to live near you to have close communication.

Before you start your search, consider making a list of the aspects you want to find in another person. For example, the same disease and stage and perhaps age. Survivorship A to Z provides a Prioritizer that lets you list your criteria. With the push of a button, the Prioritizer reorders your criteria according to your priorities. 

Following is a list of alternative means of locating another person in a similar situation. Keep looking until you find a match that is good for you.

• Call your national or local disease specific non-profit organization.
• Ask your doctor's office manager.
• Ask a social worker at the hospital at which you receive treatment.
• Ask people in your support group or self help group, and the organization that sponsors the group.
• Patient-matching services. These services are free. They ask for specific details of your disease, age, sex and lifestyle. For example:
  • Cancer:
    • Anderson Network (from MD Anderson): www.mdanderson.org/andersonnetwork
    • Cancer Hope Network: www.cancerhopenetwork.org
  • All diseases
    • Friends' Health Connection: www.friendshealthconnection.org
• In your favorite search engine, type in the name of your disease in quotes, a plus sign, and words such as "patient to patient", "patient network" or "listserv".  For example: "XYZ disease" + "patient network". (If you find other words work more effectively, please share the information by going to the bottom of this page where it says "To make a suggestion or share information, click here"

NOTE:

• Keep in mind that each individual is different.  Just because another person has the same disease and stage you do, does not mean that the appropriate medical care is the same. Whatever you learn about medical information from another person, keep in mind that the information may be good for that person but not for you, or may even be inaccurate. Check information with your doctor before acting on it.
• If the service you use has lists instead of a person or system to make a match for you, you may receive a large number of e mails.

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments