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National Family Caregivers Association and The HealthCentral Network Work Together to Enhance Internet Resources for Family Caregivers

Posted on: Thursday, 7 September 2006, 12:00 CDT

KENSINGTON, Md. and ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and The HealthCentral Network (http://www.thehealthcentralnetwork.com/), a Choice Media Division, have entered into an agreement to create new online resources for family members caring for loved ones with chronic illnesses and other disabilities. This relationship brings together the extensive expertise and resources of NFCA in education and support of family caregivers with the multimedia capabilities and broad online community of consumers and experts on The HealthCentral Network.

The collaboration seeks to serve the family caregiver community with practical information relevant to daily life. The HealthCentral Network has built a series of new sites devoted to specific chronic conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (http://www.ouralzheimers.com/), diabetes (http://www.mydiabetescentral.com/) and breast cancer (http://www.mybreastcancernetwork.com/). Each site features expert information as well as the voices of those who live with the condition and their family members who care for them. This relationship will make NFCA's rich library of information and advocacy materials available to the over seven million monthly users of The HealthCentral Network's distributed Web sites. Additional joint projects will include the development of new online features and tools, such as the creation of a regular blog from Suzanne Mintz, President and co-founder of NFCA, who will share her insights and coping tips for other family caregivers.

"This effort honors the role NFCA has had in identifying the common bonds among all family caregivers, across relationships and illnesses," said Chris Schroeder, CEO and President of The HealthCentral Network. "Through the communities of visitors to The HealthCentral Network's disease-specific Web sites, we hope to bring visibility to and engagement with the NFCA's mission. The goal is to reduce the isolation and loneliness that frequently comes with the job of caring for loved ones, by publishing first-person perspectives and locating the best resources available."

NFCA's mission is to empower family caregivers to take actions that will improve their life and the life of the loved one by providing them with support, education, and a public voice. "We have heard from thousands of family caregivers over the years who confirm the enormous solace that comes from knowing they are not alone, that others understand the exhaustion, anxiety and pride that comes from family caregiving," said Suzanne Mintz. "Through this collaboration with The HealthCentral Network, we are hoping to reach people who may not otherwise find the support they need. The internet is a particularly valuable forum for family caregivers who may face more constraints on their time away from home than non-caregivers."

About The HealthCentral Network

The HealthCentral Network (http://www.thehealthcentralnetwork.com/) is a division of Choice Media, Inc. and has over 30 general health and highly specific condition and wellness web properties, each committed to offering a voice in every day and personal language people can understand and connect with at critical points in their lives. Each site provides timely, interactive, in-depth, and trusted medical information, personalized tools and resources, and connections to vast communities of expertise for people seeking to engage in, manage and improve their health. The award-winning, multi-media experience combines medically-reviewed articles from doctors and researchers, as well as news, information, video and extensive engagement from everyday people who have great experience and empathy in specific health areas. The Company also produces the Medical Breakthroughs television show, seen around the country.

Founded in the late 1990s, Choice Media, Inc. was recently acquired by a team of blue-chip investors including Sequoia Capital, Polaris Ventures, The Carlyle Group and Allen & Company. With a management team that combines decades of experience in interactive media and medical, science and news journalism, Choice Media, Inc. aims for the highest standards of quality, relevance and community for patients and their caregivers.

About National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)

NFCA is a grassroots organization that empowers family caregivers to take actions that will improve their life and the life of their loved one by providing them with education, support, and a public voice. There are more than over 50 million Americans that care for loved ones with a chronic illness, disability or the frailties of old age. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of diagnoses, relationships and life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers. For more information visit http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/ or call (800) 896-3650.

HealthCentral Network

CONTACT: Deborah Halpern, Communications Director of National FamilyCaregivers Association, +1-773-363-1587,deborah.halpern@thefamilycaregiver.org; or Lucie Leblois, Director ofMarketing of The HealthCentral Network, +1-703-302-1053,leblois@choicemedia.com

Web site: http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/http://www.thehealthcentralnetwork.com/http://www.ouralzheimers.com/http://www.mydiabetescentral.com/http://www.mybreastcancernetwork.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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