Healthmark Multimedia Web Site Cancercaregiving.Com Received “Webby Worthy” Distinction

Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 17, 2005 -- The Webby Awards, the leading international honor for web sites, has recognized cancercaregiving.com as Webby Worthy, a distinction made for the first time this year to recognize sites exhibiting remarkable achievement. The site is produced by HealthMark Multimedia, LLC that built and manages the site.
Hailed as the “online Oscars” by Time Magazine, The Webby Awards are determined by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
“The Webby Awards honors the outstanding web sites that are setting the standards for the internet,” said Tiffany Shlain, creative director and founder of The Webby Awards. Cancercaregiving.Com’s Webby Worthy selection is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.” Out of the over 4,000 entries submitted, fewer than 20% received this honor and were deemed Webby Worthy.
Cancer caregivers are the unsung heroes of medical care. Everything would cease to functions without them.” said Jane Lincoln, MSW, instructional designer for the project. “After working with cancer patients for 16 years, it was very satisfying to develop something just for their family and friends who are caregivers.”
About Cancercaregiving.com
In the United States, more than 9.5 million people are living with cancer. As hospital stays shorten and the acuity of patients at home increases, the physical and emotional burdens borne by lay caregivers is being addressed. Although end of life care is the most distressing time, challenges impact both patient and caregivers at all points along the cancer journey, affecting the adjustment and health of both. The quality of communication between patient and caregiver is crucial. Also, as caregivers interact with medical staff on behalf of loved ones, their skill impacts the quality of care received both at home and in the medical setting.
Cancer patient, caregiver and medical consultant feedback contributed to the development and testing of a web site, cancercaregiving.com. This web site provides interactive tools to encourage caregiver self-efficacy in the daunting tasks of communicating with the patient, the medical team, and concerned others who encompass the "caregiving circle." Tools for Me engage caregivers in self-care and stress management by providing a guided imagery exercise online and a tool for acknowledging and normalizing the conflicting feels elicited by caregiving. Tools for Us include a tool called Starting Conversations, with "Tips on Broaching Difficult Topics" and conversation themes such as "How I'd like to Help" and "Dealing with End of Life Issues." The third section, Practical Matters, includes a tool that produces a printable daily log for use when caregivers care for a very sick patient. Throughout the site, stories are included to illustrate how caregivers coped with challenges. Amelia Birney, project team leader said “When we tested with website caregivers, the vast majority liked the interactive tools, especially the Relaxation Tool, and said they would use them.”
About HealthMark Multimedia
HealthMark Multimedia, LLC, a certified woman-owned business, combines graphics, audio, video and text to develop award-winning interactive, user-friendly software and Web sites for:
• patient treatment and self-care decisions
• continuing education for health care professionals
• disease prevention and health promotion materials for parents and children
HealthMark Multimedia uses an established network of medical experts, as well as patients and lay caregivers to review and test products for accuracy, relevance, and usefulness.
The interactive tools developed for cancercaregiving.com are available for licensing by health care organizations and those addressing the needs of caregivers.
For further information about the company, its products and licensing opportunities, contact HealthMark Multimedia: 1828 L Street, NW, #250, Washington, DC 20036; Telephone: 202-265-0033; Fax: 202-448-6188. HealthMark Multimedia's home page can be found at www.HealthMarkMultimedia.com.