My App for Cystic Fibrosis

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TheSaltyOne

Guest
Hi guys, I know some of you might know me and a lot probably don't.
I would really appreciate your support on this.

I’m a 24 year old Cystic Fibrosis patient. Because of my trials and tribulations I have decided to learn app development and create an app for all Cystic Fibrosis patients and their families. My advantage of the app is that it is design, developed, and programmed by a CFer. It also provides a direct link to my email so it is more of a “friendly” experience for whoever downloads it instead of just having a drug company sell it. I really think all you would like it and have gotten some great comments so far!! The app currently is only for iPhone but I am working on converting it to android as well. The only supported iOS version as of now is 8 but iOS 7 will be supported within 5-14 days.

You guys can check out the app on itunes at:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-fight-against-cystic-fibrosis/id918730808?mt=8

and the facebook support page is:
www.facebook.com/MyFightAgainstCF

The App:
The app is called “My Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis”. It is meant to be for each patient’s “fight” against the disease and help them manage their medication regimens as well as have an abundance of information regarding Cystic Fibrosis in the palm of their hand. The following is a detailed list of the features the app includes and I have many more ideas for future updates to the app.

The Features include:
- “Cystic Fibrosis" page for all new families dealing with Cystic Fibrosis

- “Latest Research” page that provides the user with a refreshable list of research articles regarding CF.

- “CF Programs” section where the user can select any state they desire and there will appear a list of CF accredited programs categorized by city of that state. Each listing includes a picture of the hospital, directors’ names, cf clinic phone number, and finally the address of the hospital. All of which are “clickable” to direct the user to maps application or their calling application.

- “Treatments” section where the user can see all available treatments. Whether its airway clearance, oral, inhaled, or nasal sprays, it has them all.

- “My Regimen” section where the user can create their daily medication regimen list and then click a “daily med list view” to show to their clinic where it will list each medication, dosage, and frequency/day in a categorized list.

- “My PFTs” section where the user can log their height, age, weight, and FEV1 and display it in a easy to use graph or a ‘history’ list that will display the given information over time.

- “Grains of Salt” section where the idea is to take the advice “with a grain of salt” as they say. It is replicating a ‘question and answer’ structure. The section displays all the frequently asked questions of CF families and they are categorized by chronological order in which the patient will grow. An added feature is for each question that I, the developer with CF, have had an experience with I provide my advice or opinion on the matter.

- “About This App” section where the user can read about the app, view the developer’s story, and see the updated history of the app.

Then finally of course there is a “submit feedback” button so that I will directly be emailed any feedback by the user, and can improve or add suggested features in a future update.

I believe the app has a ton of potential and can not only help manage your health but also really improve the knowledge and communication between CFers and their families!


I would really like to hear from you guys and appreciate any and all the feedback you can provide. Let me know what you think and enjoy!!!!!!
- The Salty One:D
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
Thank guys! I researched it by going to the major CF sites and Foundation sites like CFF.org, Boomer Esiason foundation, San Diego University research. Things like that. Everything in the app as for as info is Fact based and accredited information mostly by the CF Foundation. The only thing that isn't fact base is in the "Grains of Salt" Section which is like a question and answer page. Under each fact-based answer to every question I added my "opinion" or advice for each question that I have personally had experience with. Those opinions are definitely labeled to let the reader know that it's not a researched fact answer.

The idea is great but the potential is huge. Especially if i'm able to get a foundation or company to help me work on it and integrate many different features.

@alavoie2 sorry there are no plans for it being on Windows phone at this time. It is on the iphone as of now and I am currently trying to learn how to convert it for android as well. If that process is not too difficult then yes I will look more into converting it for Windows as well. You are actually the first person that has suggested Windows phone, so I'm sure the more the app gains attention the more there will be pressure to convert for Windows as well.

Thank you guys for your interest. It means a lot and I hope it is beneficial to everyone!
 
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taafom

Guest
and what do you think of putting a button to choose another language than English, such as Portuguese, for example or a translator?
You 'd help so many CF Portuguese , Brazilians and Europeans.
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
That's pretty interesting! This is the first request for another language for the app. I'm not sure how to go about doing that but I'll definitely look into seeing how it can be accomplished. Thanks!
 

JENNYC

New member
This is fantastic!! I carry around a HUGE binder with all this information. I love the thought of an app like this!!! Unfortunately I haven't updated my phone yet. I would love for you to add a way to keep up with the Fev25-75. I have found that the small airways are just as important. Also maybe a place to keep up with all the different doctors phone numbers and locations. And a place to keep up with Hospital stays, surgeries, x-rays, ct scans and antibiotics taken. Sorry but I am so excited about this app!!! I would love to ditch my extremely heavy binder for an app!! Thank you for creating this. As soon as I have enough room to upload I will be purchasing. :)
 

Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
Hey just saw your note re funding. Vertex just started a circle of cf to fund things to help cf families. Strongly suggest you out together a detailed grant application to seek funding! They are granting grants up to 5,000. Vrtx.com has details. If you've never done a grant before you want to research it to make it great. Good luck!
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
JennyC Awesome!!! This is exactly one of the reasons I created the app. So regarding your suggestions... as far as your update goes, iOS 7 support for the app should be released literally within days so you're all good there. The resources that I am using it made it difficult to graph the FEV1 but I will definitely try to find a way to graph more data such as the fev25-75. Great idea!!! As of right now the app has a "CF Programs" section which has all docs phone numbers, addresses, names, and picture of the hospital for each city and state that the CF Foundation "approves" (I believe a total of 110 clinics are listed in the app right now). I love the idea of tracking more information such as surgeries, xrays, ct scans, antibiotic resistance, etc! I created the app originally to have a lot of functions for CFers and then see how much support it gets to further update and develop more features. Thanks so much for your suggestions. Please keep them coming. I will try to post when updates are out on here but the best way to be up to date on the app is on the facebook support page facebook.com/MyFightAgainstCF or my instagram page: defyToBreathe. You'll hear from me soon.

Aboveallislove Thank you so much for your suggestion! I'm definitely going to look into it now. I had another non profit org say they could "sponsor" the app but wouldn't be able to give me much profit. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, my overall goal is to not sell the rights totally to a company but instead work with a organization or company to provide me the funds for resources and I stay closely knitted in the app and continuing to develop more features for it. I guess we will see what happens. I'll look up grant applications now and go from there. Hopefully i'll be posting good news regarding that soon. Thanks again!
 

Rosie55

New member
I just learned about this app from a weekly CF update I get through Bionews this past Monday and downloaded it. So you are getting exposure! Trying to get my daughter to start using it. I've just been going through it and learning about it and I'm very impressed so far! Thanks for doing it, It's a great idea! We will definitely give feedback.
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
Yes. I have been in talks with them and the app will soon have Bionews' articles streamed in the "latest research" section. So be looking for update 1.1 and you can start reading bionews in the cf app as well. Thanks for your support and send any thoughts my way that would entice younger crowds like your daughter to use it. I can't make it too "kiddish" of course but have thought about integrating "awards" in the app for various things that would be more enticing to children to use their treatments. It just costs more monthly to add in that type of thing
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
Exciting News!! So many more things coming in the next big update (Version: 1.1). Stay tuned.
P.S: support for iphones still on iOS 7.1 should be available this coming week!
 

2roses

New member
Congrats Salty! Want my two CF DDs to get this app. I looked at other CF apps and yours is very well done!!!!! Way to go!!!!
 
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TheSaltyOne

Guest
The app is now AVAILABLE for all iphones on iOS 7 or iOS 8. So that's awesome.

Gammaw I'm working on it. Just received an email stating that if I were to hire out to have the app converted for android the starting cost would be $70,000. So I will be looking for an alternative way. It took me 4 months, 4 hours a day, to learn programming for iphone so I'm not sure actually learning android programming will be a doable option. I will most likely have to find some way to convert the app using a program. Fingers crossed I can get it!

2roses Thanks so much for your support! There are more great features coming and a cleaner user friendly design in the next update. Trying to add more appeal for all ages and not make it look so "straight" edge medical app. The design results so far are very exciting!
 
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