By Lisa Copen
Rest Ministries, specifically the Sunroom, was recently featured as “one of the organizations doing it right” by Jenny Prokopy who spoke a the SXSWinteractive technology conference. Her presentation was called, “Health Communities: Superheroes Who Need a Justice League.”
Many of you may know Jenny, the founder of chronicbabe.com, who has worked with us during Invisible Illness Week and other events. I was honored when she called to interview me the week before. I applaud her for including a faith-based organization in her presentation and examples!
You can listen to her entire presentation online here. She speaks on health forums and social networks such as the Sunroom. She interviewed me the week previously, excited to explain how necessary social networks for those with illness are, especially those that are faith-based such as Rest Ministries Sunroom.As many of you know who have participated in an illness online community, there are hurdles we sometimes must jump over and it’s not always crystal clear how to make decisions.
For example, is someone suicidal and if so, are we equipped to help them? Can we legally help them? What do we do when people sign up for a group and then leave because they are not getting the support they needed (and they expected it to be available 24 hours a day).
She purposes a resource that helps founders of some of the largest, to the smallest, health and illness-related social networks make these tough choices, support one another, and create guidelines we can follow.
When I asked her how it went (she’d been feeling poorly and then had to work on her presentation, travel, and give the speech) she said, “It went smashingly, and people loved hearing all about your site . . . I think you’ll get a ton of people interested in what you’re doing.”
Jenny herself has had a difficult few months coping with her illness, so I ask you to continue to keep her in prayer. I know her presentation will inspire you.
This is pretty cool. Some day I’d like to meet Jenny in person. She’s amazing! ~ Peter