Get All Access for $5/mo

Students Create Heroes App To Connect Cancer Patients And Survivors UOWD students and grads create app to provide a support system for cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones.

By Pamella de Leon

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Heroes App

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer was the cause of 8.2 million deaths worldwide in 2012 alone.

Fairiha Khan shared her experience of losing a parent to the disease, and how having a support system is essential; her team would later enter Microsoft's Imagine Cup competition with what she hoped was "something that will have a global impact." This is where the Heroes app comes in, an online community platform to bring together cancer patients and survivors, and their friends and family members. The 22-year-old project manager is joined by fellow University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) students and grads: 29-year-old Abubakar Abdulbasit as back-end developer, 23-year-old Ashiqur Rahman as front-end developer and 22-year-old Artaza Aziz as back-end developer.

The app encourages positive thinking through their forums where users are reminded to be grateful and give back to society, as well as a medical updates forum. Other features also include being able to find other users based on the type of cancer or by user location, the option to add different users as emergency contacts, categories based on cognitive therapy research that help to reinforce positive behaviors, and inspiring posts that can be added to a scrapbook. To get the word out, they plan to use social media, as well as working with hospitals and medical practitioners "to introduce us to more patients- so they can test the app and help us develop it according to their needs."

After launching in April 2014 at the Microsoft Imagine Cup competition and securing third place, three competitions later, the app has made its rounds placing second in the Microsoft Hackathon, and competing in the GITEX Student Competition. Currently in beta phase, the developers say that the competitions have helped them get feedback from both users and experts about the app, and also glean suggested app additions. The developers are still weighing options as how to monetize on Heroes, and since it currently only functions on Microsoft's platform, their 2015 agenda is focused on getting it on multiple platforms.

Pamella de Leon

Startup Section Editor, Entrepreneur Middle East

Pamella de Leon is the Startup Section Editor at Entrepreneur Middle East. She is keen on the MENA region’s entrepreneurship potential, with a specific interest to support enterprises and individuals creating an impact.

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business News

Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

Employers are looking for interpersonal skills like teamwork as well as specific coding skills.

Growth Strategies

"We Got Funded!" UAE-Headquartered Epik Foods' US$15.5 Million Investment from Ruya Fund is Set to Propel its Regional Expansion Goals

The group's investment news thus comes just days away from its first anniversary as a fully operational business.

Money & Finance

5 Links You Need to Be Successful As a Day Trader

Mastering drive, computer skills, emotional regulation, situational awareness and discipline are essential for day trading success.

Starting a Business

Startup Spotlight: UAE-Based Below Farm's Locally Cultivated Mushrooms Aid The Country's Circular Economy Goals

Produced with no pesticides or fertilizers, Below Farm uses fully automated controlled environment systems, adopting an indoor vertical farming technique that requires minimal space, and can be set up anywhere, effectively negating the need for arable land.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.