I feel like I've been posting a lot about websites lately, but there are so many great free resources out there to help people, I can't help but get excited. This whole "Web 2.0" movement, as I am coming to understand it, has the potential to do such great things and enrich people's lives. It brings out the best in good people who sit at their computers wanting to do good things for the world. Who can argue with that?
Case in point: CaringBridge. It seems as if this website has been around for about 10 years, and I sorely wish I had known about it when my stepdad was sick. The site (and the non-profit organization that runs it) provides free websites to "support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery." Whether the critical time stems from a cancer diagnosis, a car accident, a complicated pregnancy, or anything similarly serious, this site allows for the creation of an interactive website with features including an online journal/blog, guestbook, photo gallery, an online communities so that the families on CaringBridge can reach out to each other.
When my stepdad John was sick, I remember sending out mass email after mass email, adjusting each email depending on the group to which it was sent - my mom's family, my dad's family, my college friends, my coworkers, my mom's colleagues. I didn't mind doing it, but there were many other things I could have been doing with that precious time. It would have been amazing to be able to have a website where we could post just once to update everyone, and be able to show John the guestbook entries written in support of him.
Well, if it couldn't happen for us, I'm glad that 100,000 other families (!!!) have used this service, and I hope that this organization continues to thrive.
To donate to CaringBridge, click here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment