COPD360social Update: 22K Members and Counting

“COPD360social has been a lifeline for me. I don’t know anyone else with COPD (in my area). I have found needed info, made new friends (who understand) and I hope I’ve been in some way helpful to the other COPDers. I no longer feel alone....Thank you all.” -Bon Bon

Over 22,000 members from all over 100 countries have connected to form COPD360social.org- the one-of-a-kind social networking community dedicated to helping those affected by COPD. The social platform provides individuals with a chance to meet, connect, and share their experiences from the comfort of their homes. Your thoughts, concerns, fears, and inspiration are important to us. Become a part of our interactive, collaborative community to find friends, learn about events in your area, participate in research, chat with the experts, and learn how to take action – all on your time, at your pace. COPD360social provides our members with a break from the isolation that so many of us experience while living with COPD. We lean on each other during the time we are confined to our homes, and give each other the motivation to push forward.

Launched on World COPD Day, November 19, 2014, the site was developed in an effort to serve as a comprehensive platform for patients, caregivers, providers, and friends in the COPD community. It is a comfortable and secure place to meet people with COPD, their family members, caregivers and friends, as well as healthcare providers. Here you will find answers, access quality educational materials, participate in research, become an advocate, and connect with new friends. You can choose what you want to gain from the community – from sharing ideas and inspiration, to participating in research, or learning how to lobby on Capitol Hill. COPD360social is an invaluable resource for the 30 million of us touched by the third leading cause of death by serving as a one-stop shop for COPD. It is a part of the Foundation’s aim to utilize technology to better understand the patient experience from a holistic perspective.

There is a lot of information on the Internet. Sometimes it can be pretty overwhelming. It can be hard to know what’s true and what’s not, and which are proven treatments and those that don’t have scientific support. With COPD360social you can be confident that you’re getting quality information from a trusted source.

COPD360social provides unique, cutting-edge technology that is not currently available to the online COPD community. Some of the features that contribute to this rich online experience include user profiles and activity feeds, direct messaging, crowd-sourcing of ideas, and question & answers. One of the most exciting features is the custom search module which allows users to “find people like me.” In June 2016, photo sharing was added to the list of site capabilities, making the site even more fun and engaging.

“COPD360social has been a lifeline for me as well. I found that other people struggled with the same issues that I did and had found ways to cope. I felt that someone in the world understood what I was going through and that my symptoms were not all in my head,” said active community member Caroline. Join us today and experience the range of benefits by visiting www.copd360social.org.