Bloorview patients get Canada's first kid-friendly social networking website

Bloorview patients get Canada's first kid-friendly social networking website. Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital patient Jessica Greenwood speaks at an event launching the hospital's new social networking program Upopolis Thursday morning. Staff photo/NICK PERRY

Now, thanks to the new Upopolis social networking website launched at Bloorview on Thursday Sept. 29, they can.

First used at Hamilton's McMaster Children's Hospital in 2007, Bloorview has become the first children's rehab hospital in Canada to offer the website to its patients.

Powered by Telus, Upopolis is the only private and secure social networking site designed just for kids in hospital.

Young patients can create their own profiles, instant chat with other patients about their illnesses or just about interesting topics, send e-gifts to friends, click on links to kid-friendly health and wellness information and stay up-to-date on their homework.

Only other patients and former patients as well as approved family, friends and teachers can access the website.

A "webmother" and a panel of doctors monitor the website so patients and their parents know people they are communicating with are trustworthy, facts are accurate and only appropriate information and language is shared.

Patients can't access websites that would hinder their recovery. For example, a patient with anorexia would not be able to go on websites promoting dieting.

"It is really awesome," said Jessica, who has been using Upopolis for about a month. "I love that you can connect with kids all around Canada."

The 13-year-old has a rare bone disorder. She has been in Bloorview for seven weeks recovering from surgery to straighten her leg.

Upopolis allows her to connect with other patients who have the same disorder and are undergoing similar treatments.

Lexie, 12, had surgery Aug. 30 after a disc in her lower back exploded. She also had three bulging discs.

Lexie, who has plans to be a professional gymnast, said Upopolis has made her recovery much better.

"I think it is an amazing way for kids to talk to kids who have difficulties like them. It is a good way to stay connected with the real world and not be blocked away," she said.

"I like it because it is protected and no one else but kids in hospitals can be on there. It is safe to be on. I just think it is an amazing website to go on when you're in hospital."

Upopolis is the brain-child of Basile Papaevangelou, chairperson and founder of Kid Health Links Foundation (KHLF), which promotes the use of technology to help alleviate young patients' stress, isolation and loneliness and to keep them connected with their family, friends and school community.

Papaevangelou was inspired to start the foundation following the serious health problems experienced by his daughter and one of her friends. His daughter Christine was admitted to the intensive care unit of McMaster Children's Hospital with life-threatening toxic shock syndrome in February 2002 when she was 15.

Fortunately, she recovered. But in March 2004, her friend Katy McDonald died of cancer. Following Katy's death, her mother, Glyn Ganong, mentioned to Papaevangelou how disappointed the teenager had been not to be able to use her computer while in hospital.

"That comment lit a fire," he said.

While there is a social networking website for hospitalized children in France, Papaevangelou told The Mirror Upopolis is the first of its kind in the world because it offers such stringent controls over access and content.

"There is nothing like it in the world," he said.

"Trust is the magic word for us."

He said he's thrilled to bring Upopolis to Bloorview.

Patients are at the facility for an average of 61 days but many patients are there for weeks or months longer. The website will keep them connected.

Bloorview also extensively monitors its outpatients, which will help broaden the scope of the website, he said.

Upopolis was made available to Bloorview through funding from KHLF and Sheridan Nurseries.