PatientsLikeMe ™

We experienced the power of patients helping other patients during the six years we cared for our son, Ben. Ben was five when he ws initially diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. His doctors rightly told us that he had little chance of living more than six months. I became a fanatical researcher, learning everything I could about Ben's treatment and possible therapies that could help Ben. I learned a great deal in the process, and we learned to be partners and advocates for Ben with his medical team. Ben actually "beat" that first tumor, and then developed and "beat" a second tumor, and then developed a third over the course of the next six years. He died from that last tumor, but during those six years he lived a mostly normal, happy life--despite having only a half head of hair and too many hospitalizations and treatments.

During this I realized how hard it can be for patients and their caregivers to get the information they need to make informed decisions, or to simply work or way through the healthcare system. Ben had the best medical team in the world, based at the Jimmy Fund and Children's Hospital in Boston, but there was much they did not know about coping with the toxicity of chemo that I felt the need to understand and act on. Much of what I learned I learned from other caregivers, and in return I passed on as much as I could to other parents. We learned more than we wanted to during those years, and I often wished there were a better way to learn and share information. That is what led me to PatientsLikeMe, the chance to work at a place that truly believes in the power of shared information, where the patient comes first.

PatientsLikeMe is making a difference in the lives of many of its members by helping people share information and experience with others facing similar situations. This is helping to transform healthcare - empowering us all to be more active participants in our health and well-being, and the healthcare of our families.  This is a great place for us all to be.



I've had an interesting professional career. I worked at the former Digital Computer Company for 18 years in a variety of software management and consulting roles, including Technical Director for their initial intranet (back when the web was brand spanking new), then spent 10 years at CXO Media, a division of IDG, the world's largest technology publisher, where I started and managed their online business and several user groups. Since leaving CXO (they published CIO, CSO, CMO, Darwin and other magazines) I  co-founded  a healthcare quality assessment company that was recently acquired by the New York Times. Hopefully all of this was good training for the real work of my life - PatientsLikeMe!