Creating a virtual community for Turkish-speaking advanced breast cancer patients

Context
The side effects of treatment, the anxiety of awaiting exam results, feeling insecure about the future and social stigma can all lower metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients’ quality of life. Prior to implementing their SPARC project, Kanserle Dans Dernegli surveyed over 100 MBC patients recorded in their patient database and asked them to identify the three key areas in which they needed support. The results of the survey indicated that these patients needed a dedicated platform where they could talk to other MBC patients, share advice on side effects and reciprocate psychological support. Based on these results, the organisation decided to create a virtual community for Turkish-speaking patients with MBC.
Kanserle Dans Dernegi’s mission is to raise awareness of cancer and early detection at a national level, provide cancer patients and their caregivers with information as well as provide medical and psychological support. They also seek to build bridges between physicians and patients and support national cancer control programme policy.