CaringBridge

Patient Web Pages Help Keep Friends and Family Connected

The University of Maryland Medical Center has become an official sponsor of CaringBridge, an Internet service developed to help patients and their families stay connected with loved ones during medical treatment.

CaringBridge is a free, easy-to-use Internet service developed to keep friends and family informed during challenging or stressful times.

In minutes, families can easily create a secure CaringBridge Web page. They can then sign-in at any time to post journal entries and photographs for their friends and family members. Visitors who are provided the Web site address and password can read updates and post their own messages of support, love, and encouragement for the family.

Here is how the free service works:

• An individual visits www.caringbridge.org to create a secure, personal Web site in a few minutes.
• The patient or family member writes journal entries for their circle of family and friends to read.
• Friends and loved ones can then send messages of encouragement and support in a guestbook for the patient and family to read.

The personal site is private and only those with the site address may visit.

For more information about how to create your own patient web page, visit CaringBridge or contact Mariellen Synan at msynan@umm.edu.