The ESOT Hackathon 2021: Empowering transplant patients

Sponsored by: ESOT
15 Jun 2021 |

ESOT is delighted to launch the first edition of the ESOT Hackathon to identify and develop tools to serve the transplant patient community.

Whether it is an idea, a scenario, a prototype, an app, an interface, a proof of concept or a turnkey solution, we are looking for innovative approaches to improve the well-being and quality of life for transplant patients.

We are launching a competition, open to any individual or team that wishes to work together to design, develop and build digital solutions help transplant patients in Europe and beyond. We want to bring together a diverse group of people to collaborate and helping our patient community.

The major feature characterizing transplant patients is uncertainty. Many of their questions about their “new“ clinical condition are sometimes hard to fully address, making their future unpredictable.

 At the beginning, all recipients must face and accept their disease requiring an organ replacement, then they have to face a long waiting time before they can finally get a transplant. Without proper support, all of these factors are sources of uncertainty and, consequently, anxiety. Until the transplant happens, the long-awaited holy grail is to start a new life.

After transplantation patients must face many new challenges. Doctors and caregivers provide patients with medications to take and a list of do’s and don’ts to minimize the risks after a transplant, especially due to their state of immunosuppression, and slowly patients start to learn some tricks that are useful in their recovery.

There may be complications along the way:  the smallest infection can become exceedingly difficult to treat but also restrictions on diet and everyday life can be difficult to understand and accept. Patients’ relatives may not always understand their condition: the disease is cured now and they have a new organ that we all have been waiting for. Why are they still so weak? Why all these medications? Will we ever go back to our “normal life”?

These are merely just some of the medical, psychological, and everyday life anxieties and situations that transplant patients face.

 

Transplant patients need a helping hand throughout their journey, a guide that can help them navigate the uncertainty and overcome it.

At ESOT, we believe that technology can help patients, empowering them to make the right decisions within their new lives.  We are launching a challenge and ask anyone to help us to develop tools that can help them.

Due to the current health pandemics uncertainty within Europe, the first Edition of the ESOT Hackathon 2021 will take place online, through an open innovation program spanning over a period of 4 months. Project submissions, further development and jury will happen through online means.

You can read more about our program

https://esot.org/hackathon

 

We hope that we sparked your curiosity and  that you will attend our first information event on the 22 June 2021 from 5PM-PM, to hear more about this innovative project! 

If you are already excited convinced that you want to take part,  you can register to our first round- kickoff event that will take place on the 2 July 2021 here

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