Founded in 2001, HopeLab is a non-profit organization that combines rigorous research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness. 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. We work closely with young people with chronic illness to incorporate their critical and ongoing input into product development. We are committed to the scientific study of our interventions through formative research and outcome studies to ensure that these products and/or approaches are effective.
Our First Product: Re-Mission™
In May 2006, HopeLab introduced its first product, Re-Mission™, a video game developed for adolescents and young adults with cancer. HopeLab conducted a randomized, controlled trial to test the effect of Re-Mission on adolescents and young adults with cancer. The study included 375 male and female cancer patients aged 13- 29 at 34 medical centers in the United States, Canada and Australia. Preliminary findings from this research, which were presented in March of 2006 at peer-reviewed scientific meetings, indicate that playing Re-Mission produced increases in quality of life, self-efficacy, and cancer-related knowledge for adolescents and young adults with cancer. In addition, 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, indicating that Re-Mission helps patients adhere to cancer therapy regimens.
Future Research and Innovation
HopeLab continues to distribute Re-Mission free of charge to young people with cancer, and we are applying insights gained from the development and study of the game to inform our ongoing work in cancer.
In addition to cancer, HopeLab has identified four diseases in which there is significant unmet need among young people and where there is potential for HopeLab to have great impact:
- Obesity
- Sickle cell disease
- Autism
- Major depressive disorder
HopeLab's next major initiative --
Ruckus Nation-- will target obesity. As with our cancer work, insights from the development and study of Re-Mission will inform our pursuit of innovative approaches to address obesity and the other devastating illnesses within our focus.
To learn more, visit www.hopelab.org.
