HealthTree.org to Launch Observational Study Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 on Multiple Myeloma Patients

SALT LAKE CITY, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthTree®, the first online portal for multiple myeloma cancer patients to find their best treatment options and help accelerate a cure, today announced plans for an observational study to look at the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on multiple myeloma patients. The study will assess myeloma patient vulnerability and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on myeloma treatments and outcomes.   

This is the first of a planned series of studies to evaluate the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on multiple myeloma patients and more broadly on cancer patients. In an effort to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting patient care, the study invites all multiple myeloma patients to participate and is scheduled to begin by April 30th. 

"The HealthTree platform is designed as a tool to collect patient information in real time and is ideally and uniquely suited to help assess the situation that the novel coronavirus outbreak has created," said Jenny Ahlstrom, founder of the CrowdCare Foundation and HealthTree.org. "With a user base of more than 5,200 patients, the HealthTree platform will provide critical intelligence related to the impact of COVID-19 for myeloma patients and ultimately a broader segment of cancer patients."

HealthTree is an online crowdsourcing platform that enables patients to explore treatment options, find clinical trials based on their stage of disease and lab values, and contribute their de-identified data to accelerate research toward a cure. HealthTree is funded by The CrowdCare Foundation which was founded by Jenny Ahlstrom in 2012 following her own multiple myeloma diagnosis. To date, HealthTree has more than 5,200 participants representing more than four percent of all multiple myeloma patients in the U.S. 

Ahlstrom continued, "Expanding our platform during this pandemic feels like a natural extension of the work we already do for the myeloma patients we serve. While this is a scary time for people everywhere, particularly for those who are immunocompromised, HealthTree empowers patients to be part of the solution." 

About HealthTree.org / The CrowdCare Foundation
HealthTree.org is an online community tool that helps myeloma patients explore their best treatment options, find clinical trials based on their stage of disease and lab values, and contribute their de-identified data to accelerate a cure. HealthTree.org is a division of the CrowdCare Foundation, a patient-driven 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Myeloma Crowd provides patient education, advocacy and research funding for multiple myeloma. Jennifer Ahlstrom founded the CrowdCare Foundation, Myeloma Crowd and also hosts online radio interviews with top myeloma specialists, live patient meetings and provides data solutions like HealthTree to drive to a cure. HealthTree® by MyelomaCrowd is free to myeloma patients. For more information, visit www.HealthTree.org.

SOURCE Myeloma Crowd: CrowdCare Foundation