HopeLab

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HopeLab
Image:HopeLab LogoV.jpg
Type of Company Non-profit
Founded 2001
Headquarters Palo Alto, California, United States
Products Re-Mission
Website www.hopelab.org

HopeLab is a non-profit organization based in Palo Alto, CA that combines rigorous research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life for young people with chronic illness. HopeLab's core focus is on cancer, obesity, sickle cell disease, autism, and major depressive disorder. HopeLab is particularly interested in technology-based approaches that target these diseases in this specific population due to their significant unmet needs. HopeLab was founded by board chair Pam Omidyar in 2001.

The HopeLab team includes individuals with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, including research, psychology, game development, nutrition, communications, health law and policy, and organizational development. HopeLab works closely with young people with chronic illness to incorporate their critical and ongoing input into product development. A notable aspect of HopeLab is their scientific study of the patient populations, disease targets, and interventions though formative research and outcome studies to ensure that their products and/or approaches are effective.

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[edit] Current Efforts

HopeLab's first product, a Microsoft Windows based video game entitled Re-Mission, was released on April 3, 2006. This game, a 3-D shooter based in the serious games genre, was the culmination of years of study and research on young people with cancer and cancer-related illness and was developed in partnership with Realtime Associates, Inc. The game was designed to give young people with cancer a sense of control over their illness, and improve their health by informing them on their disease and the importance of maintaining strict adherence to treatments, while at the same time entertaining the patient. Re-Mission is available at no charge to young people with cancer as well as oncology centers around the world. It can be ordered at re-mission.net in English, Spanish, or French. Copies are also available to those without cancer at no charge, though donations are recommended. The Re-Mission website also includes an online community where teens and young adults can share information and support each other.

HopeLab conducted a randomized controlled trial to gauge the effectiveness of Re-Mission as it relates to treatment adherence, cancer-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Three hundred and seventy-five male and female cancer patients aged 13 - 29 were enrolled at 34 medical centers in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Some received computers pre-loaded with a popular video game and others received the same control game plus Re-Mission. Study results[1], presented in March of 2006 at peer-reviewed scientific meetings, indicated that playing Re-Mission produced significant increases in quality of life, self-efficacy, and cancer-related knowledge. Additionally, young people who played Re-Mission maintained higher blood levels of chemotherapy and showed higher rates of antibiotic utilization than those in the control group. Both results suggest that Re-Mission helped patients adhere to cancer therapy regimens.

[edit] Future Efforts

HopeLab's mission is to combine the highest standards of scientific research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life for young people with chronic illness. In accordance with this, HopeLab has identified four diseases in addition to cancer in which there is significant unmet need and where a potential exists for HopeLab to have great impact:

[edit] External links

[edit] Articles

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