Ayanna Smith, a determined entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor, has launched the Journey Together app. This innovative platform is designed to offer better care and support for breast cancer patients and their caregivers. The app aims to simplify how friends and family provide help during difficult times, ensuring that support continues well beyond the initial diagnosis.
Creating a Solution from Personal Experience
When Ayanna was diagnosed with breast cancer, she felt overwhelmed. Friends and family flooded her with well-meaning gifts like flowers, books, and podcasts. However, as her treatment progressed, the support she truly needed became clearer. She explains, “Initially, people start sending you flowers and all of those things, but your journey is long. When you experience a medical crisis, people mean well, but they inundate you in the beginning. We really need support long after our diagnosis.”
The reality hit her hard when she looked around her home. “I had about $2,000 worth of flowers on my counter and $10,000 in medical bills,” she adds. This made her realize that many people would prefer financial help over more flowers. From that experience, the idea for the Journey Together app was born.
A Unique Approach to Support
Journey Together is more than just an app; it is a way to organize support in one easy-to-use platform. The app allows users to notify their supporters when they are open to calls or visits. This means that friends and family will receive status updates in one place, rather than sending countless messages and making multiple phone calls.
Moreover, the app lets recipients create wish lists. These lists can include links to retail sites, gift registries, and donation options through platforms like CashApp, Venmo, and GoFundMe. This feature helps friends and family provide exactly what is needed.
Offering Help in Various Situations
One standout feature of the Journey Together app is its versatility. While it focuses on medical care, it also supports various life events. Whether it’s managing help for funerals, military deployments, or even birthday parties, the app can do it all.
Users can sign up to help with specific tasks such as childcare, grocery shopping, and rides to medical visits. Ayanna emphasizes, “I wanted something that allowed everything to be easy because it’s already hard.”
Empowering Users and Building Community
The app also includes a notes section, allowing users to create and store important information, such as names and dates, related to each situation. Ayanna believes that this feature helps users stay organized during tough times. “This app has been a lifeline, helping me manage both care and volunteer efforts,” she says.
Currently, Journey Together is in beta testing. Ayanna encourages users to provide feedback to improve the app further. However, she highlights a challenge many Black founders face: funding. “When people ask how they can support this initiative, it’s through funding,” she explains.
Journey Together is available for free on the Apple and Google app stores. It aims to connect communities and make support easier during life’s biggest challenges.
