I spent two inspiring weeks in Professional Summerschool. I can only adore the prework of the organizers – there were so many interesting truelife projects available for students to design and innovate. And – as we saw in the pitching session of the last day – all the groups had created great service concepts just in two weeks!

My team was working with project Kertomalla paranee. The target is to create solutions that help cancer patients and their families to live their ilves with best possible quality dispite of a serious disease. The patients recover better when we can reduce their stress level. The close ones can better support the patient when they can get the appropriate information and help in everyday tasks.

The first phase of the process is to observe. Get the insights of the users and stakeholders. We were so lucky to get a huge amount of insights provided through the www.kertomallaparanee.fi web-page. In addition to analyzing that data we interviewed Anne Palin from Novartis to get more information about the project’s drivers and targets. We also interviewed a nurse and a doctor at HUS and got basic understanding of this solution’s strategic position and their expectations for the project. After those interviews it was clear that the solution has management’s support and some investors already in place.

The most touching interview was with Tiina Aaltonen from breastcancer network www.siskot.info. She is also a recovering breastcancer patient and she told us the naked trueth about the disease and surviving with it. Strugling with “simple” everyday tasks, without proper and sufficient information and looking brave for their close ones. Feeling unsafe, alone and scared inside. It was clear that this is what we want to change. Our team was determined that digitalisation can provide elements to solve at least some of these issues.

Next phase of the process is the ideation. So we started brainstorming. Two key themes raised from the ideas: matchmaking and personalized data. Matchmaking for patients with others in the same situation, with the ones who can provide help in simple everyday tasks and with the ones who can provide tailored services. Matchmaking for the close ones with others in the same situation. Matchmaking for close ones and volunteers with the ones to whom they can provide help in simple everyday task. Personalized health and treatment data for patients – and to their close ones if the patient permits. A channel for patients to record questions and provide frequent data of their feelings and self-measurements to professionals between appointmens.

We ended up with a concept where the patient has full control of data and his/her connections. It provides a unique and easy way of asking and providing help, a social media platform for communities to connect, discuss and share, data analysis platform for matcmaking and personalized data. It also has a simple channel to record health related data that is provided to professionals.

At the end we created a prototype of the key features and tested it with breastcancer patients community siskot.net. The concept was presented to siskot.net’s cabinet and they just can’t wait to have it availble as soon as possible. In the he final pitching it was clear that this solution is needed but it will be provided as a add-on service.

The summerschool is over, but we hope that we can still be further developing the concept and providing solutions to help cancer patients’ everydaylife.