The Strength of Friends

The Strength of Friends website offers family, friends the opportunity to rally around IU Health patients.

When a health-related life-changing event happens, it’s only natural for family and friends to want to help. Whether it is a cancer diagnosis, the birth of twins or anything in between, a new, free website offered through IU Health, The Strength of Friends, is now available to support hospitalized friends and family.

 The Strength of Friends is designed to help a team of family and friends respond in an organized and helpful way when a loved one is hospitalized. The Strength of Friends site can be used to coordinate schedules for meals, child or pet care, errands and more; provide information and blog updates; post photos; and allow friends and family to post messages. There is also a feature offering ideas of ways to provide cheer.

 It’s easy to register – a coordinator (family member or friend) completes a brief registration process and a team website is created. The website contains simple instructions to help you customize a page that can best meet the team – and patient’s – needs.

To learn more about this great resource, start a team or find a team visit The Strength of Friends website (thestrengthoffriends.org).

The Strength of Friends is supported and designed by WhatFriendsDo.com, an Indiana company started by Fran, Aimee, and Stephanie Kandrac after a family friend, Laura, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. News of Laura's condition and arrangements for meals and various ways to help her and her family were coordinated via e-mails from an account called “Laura's Team.” The team concept enabled people from all aspects of Laura's life to be involved and connected. Even though Laura did not see WhatFriendsDo.com launch, she participated in the planning of the site and was honored that it would be dedicated to her.