CaringBridge.org By: Becky Koslow

What is CaringBridge? CaringBridge is a free, easy-to-use Internet service developed to keep friends and family informed during important life events- medical treatment, childbirth, rehabilitation, end-of-life care. Families may quickly and easily create a personal CaringBridge Web page, write journal entries and display photographs for their caring communities. Visitors who are provided the Web page address can read the journal and write their own messages of support and encouragement.

Mission “The mission of CaringBridge is to bring together a global community of care powered by the love of family and friends in an easy, accessible and private way.”

Benefits It enables parents to create a personalized, secure web page to keep family and friends informed on their child's health condition. It enables parents to create a personalized, secure web page to keep family and friends informed on their child's health condition. With this easy-to-use service, parents create or "author" a web page, and then make updates to the page as they wish. With this easy-to-use service, parents create or "author" a web page, and then make updates to the page as they wish.

Benefits cont’d… The CaringBridge is a wonderful way for families to provide friends and relatives with up-to-date information, as frequently as they are able and to receive messages and well-wishes from others. The CaringBridge is a wonderful way for families to provide friends and relatives with up-to-date information, as frequently as they are able and to receive messages and well-wishes from others.

Privacy The CaringBridge web page that parents create is their own secure, personalized page, and it can only be accessed by those who are given the family's specific access information. The CaringBridge web page that parents create is their own secure, personalized page, and it can only be accessed by those who are given the family's specific access information. A person must be eighteen years old or older to create and maintain a CaringBridge page; a parent or guardian must do so for those who are younger. A person must be eighteen years old or older to create and maintain a CaringBridge page; a parent or guardian must do so for those who are younger. Visitors to a CaringBridge page must enter the address provided to them by the creator of the page into their Internet browser or on the CaringBridge visitor’s page to get updates and post messages of support and encouragement. Visitors to a CaringBridge page must enter the address provided to them by the creator of the page into their Internet browser or on the CaringBridge visitor’s page to get updates and post messages of support and encouragement.

Facts Approximately 70 percent of CaringBridge Web pages are created for sick or injured children and newborns. Approximately 70 percent of CaringBridge Web pages are created for sick or injured children and newborns. The CaringBridge community includes families in all fifty states and many countries worldwide. The CaringBridge community includes families in all fifty states and many countries worldwide. To date, CaringBridge had hosted nearly 18,000 personalized pages, with more than 82 million visits and 2.5 million messages of support for patients and their families. To date, CaringBridge had hosted nearly 18,000 personalized pages, with more than 82 million visits and 2.5 million messages of support for patients and their families.

CaringBridge partners include: Employee assistance programs Employee assistance programs Employers Employers Faith-based organizations Faith-based organizations Foundations Foundations Hospitals Hospitals Clinics Clinics Long-term care facilities Long-term care facilities Medical care providers Medical care providers Medical supply companies Medical supply companies Clubs Clubs Support groups Support groups

History The inspiration for CaringBridge came from a real life experience. When Sona Mehring’s friend developed a life-threatening condition and prematurely delivered her baby during the 24th week of pregnancy, Sona created a web site to keep family and friends connected and informed. Although baby Brighid later died, she inspired a remarkable grassroots phenomenon that has extended love, encouragement, and hope around the world.

The CaringBridge Web site allows users to create their own Web page in three quick steps:

Step #1: supplying basic information, such as name, home address, address, and hospital address, and creating a Web page address and password supplying basic information, such as name, home address, address, and hospital address, and creating a Web page address and password

Step #2: verifying the information verifying the information

Step #3: customizing the page (you can add a colorful background and border, photos, guestbook, and links to other pages). Sample pages for newborns, children, and adults are included. customizing the page (you can add a colorful background and border, photos, guestbook, and links to other pages). Sample pages for newborns, children, and adults are included.

Sample Web page: Jarod's Homepage Jarod's Homepage

Founder and Executive Director Sona Mehring is amazed at the profound connection CaringBridge makes with users and visitors. “CaringBridge takes cold, impersonal technology and uses it to serve a higher purpose in a most intimate and powerful way, she said. “I believe the internet has a calling - helping bring people together at important times, facilitating love and support that is meaningful for all involved, wherever they may be,” Mehring said. “CaringBridge is a blessing...”

In Conclusion… CaringBridge makes profound human connections, utilizing technology to serve a higher purpose in a most intimate and powerful way. The service helps people stay connected at important times, facilitating love and support that is meaningful for all involved, wherever they may be.

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