HopeLab
Encyclopedia
HopeLab is a non-profit organization based in Redwood City, CA that conducts research and develops technology-based products to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness. HopeLab's work focuses on five diseases: cancer
, obesity
, sickle cell disease, major depressive disorder, and autism
. HopeLab is particularly interested in these diseases due to the significant unmet need among adolescents and young adult patients. HopeLab was founded in 2001 by board chair Pam Omidyar.
The HopeLab team includes individuals with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, including research, psychology, game development, nutrition, communications, health law and policy, and organizational development. HopeLab works closely with young people with chronic illness to incorporate their critical and ongoing input into product development. A notable part of HopeLab's approach to its nonprofit work is the organization's use of scientific research methodologies, including randomized controlled trials, to evaluate the efficacy
of its products in addressing specific health issues.
For her work with HopeLab, Pam Omidyar received the inaugural Peter Samuelson Award for Innovation at the Starlight Children's Foundation annual A Stellar Night event on March 23, 2007.http://www.starlight.org/atf/cf/%7B5BA4C9B4-81DD-431A-B59E-C291DBBFFC92%7D/Press%20Release%20-%20Gala%20-%20February%202007.pdf The award recognizes individuals who break new ground to help seriously ill children cope with their disease.
video game for teens and young adults with cancer. Released on April 3, 2006, the game is a Microsoft Windows
based third-person shooter
based in the serious games genre. The game was conceived by Pam Omidyar and designed based on HopeLab research, direct input from young cancer patients and oncology doctors and nurses, and game developer Realtime Associates
, among others. The game was designed to engage young cancer patients through entertaining game play while impacting specific psychological and behavioral outcomes associated with successful cancer treatment.
HopeLab conducted an international, multicenter randomized controlled trial to gauge the efficacy of Re-Mission as it relates to compliance
with prescribed chemotherapy
and antibiotic
treatments, cancer-related knowledge, and self-efficacy
. The study enrolled 375 cancer patients aged 13–29 at 34 medical centers in the United States
, Canada
, and Australia
. Subjects received either computers pre-loaded with a popular commercial video game (the control group) or computers preloaded with the same control game plus Re-Mission. Study results indicated that playing Re-Mission led to more consistent treatment adherence, faster rate of increase in cancer knowledge, and faster rate of increase in self-efficacy in young cancer patients. These findings were published in August 2008 in the peer-reviewed medical journal Pediatrics
. Notably, to ascertain treatment compliance, researches used objective blood tests to measure levels of prescribed chemotherapy in the bodies of study participants rather than subjective self-report
questionnaires, and electronic pill-cap monitors were used to determine utilization of prescribed antibiotics. Researches concluded that a carefully designed video game can have a positive impact on health behavior in young people with chronic illness and that video-game–based interventions may constitute a component of a broader integrative approach to healthcare that synergistically combines rationally targeted biological and behavioral interventions to aid patients in the prevention, detection, treatment, and recovery from disease.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/122/2/e305
HopeLab is conducting additional research to understand the mechanisms of action that make Re-Mission effective.http://www.hopelab.org/our-research/re-mission-attitudes-study-in-the-brain/ Results of an fMRI study of Re-Mission showing the impact of the game on neurological processes were presented in August 2008 at the 10th International Congress of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.http://www.icbm2008.jp/index.html This research is intended to inform HopeLab's development of the next version of Re-Mission currently underway.
HopeLab makes Re-Mission available at no charge to young people with cancer and their families, as well as oncology healthcare workers and institutions around the world. Copies are also distributed at no charge to others, though donations are accepted. The game can be donwloaded or ordered at re-mission.net in English
, Spanish
, or French
. The Re-Mission website also includes an online community
where teens and young adults can share information and support each other.
As of August 2008, more than 126,000 copies of Re-Mission had been distributed in 81 countries, placing it among the most successful serious games to date. HopeLab engages organizations and individuals worldwide to fasciliate distribution of the game to teens and young adults with cancer. On May 30, 2007, CIGNA HealthCare
announced a partnership with HopeLab in which CIGNA distributes copies of Re-Mission to its members at no cost.http://newsroom.cigna.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=715 HopeLab has also partnered with Starlight Children's Foundation and the ESA
Foundation to distribute Re-Mission.
(approximately ages 11–14). HopeLab's assessment of available research was compiled into a white paper entitled "Physical Activity Research summary" and published on July 27, 2007.http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/RN_Research_Summary.pdf
To begin development of physical activity interventions, HopeLab, in partnership http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/news/RN_PressRelease_Updated.pdf with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
's Pioneer Portfolio launched an online competition called Ruckus Nation on September 18, 2007. The competition was structured as a form of crowdsourcing
, and its objective was to generate ideas for products that will encourage children ages 11–14 to be more physically active. The competition was international in scope, open to people of all ages, with a total prize purse of more than 300,000 USD awarded to winners across four competition categories.http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/RN_Rules.pdf More than 1,142 people registered to compete, and 429 ideas were submitted by teams representing 37 countries and 41 U.S. states. Contestants ranged in age from 6 to 82 years of age. Semifinalist teams were announced March 10, 2008. On March 17, 2008, 10 category winners, one grand prize winner, and one grand prize honorable mention were announced at an event at the de Young Museum of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California.http://www.hopelab.org/2008/03/17/winners-announced-in-hopelab%e2%80%99s-global-competition-to-get-kids-moving-press-release/
HopeLab intends to prototype products based on ideas from the competition and scientifically test them to measure their effectiveness in increasing physical activity among children 11–14. Products that prove effective will be developed and widely distributed.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, sickle cell disease, major depressive disorder, and autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
. HopeLab is particularly interested in these diseases due to the significant unmet need among adolescents and young adult patients. HopeLab was founded in 2001 by board chair Pam Omidyar.
The HopeLab team includes individuals with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, including research, psychology, game development, nutrition, communications, health law and policy, and organizational development. HopeLab works closely with young people with chronic illness to incorporate their critical and ongoing input into product development. A notable part of HopeLab's approach to its nonprofit work is the organization's use of scientific research methodologies, including randomized controlled trials, to evaluate the efficacy
Efficacy
Efficacy is the capacity to produce an effect. It has different specific meanings in different fields. In medicine, it is the ability of an intervention or drug to reproduce a desired effect in expert hands and under ideal circumstances.- Healthcare :...
of its products in addressing specific health issues.
For her work with HopeLab, Pam Omidyar received the inaugural Peter Samuelson Award for Innovation at the Starlight Children's Foundation annual A Stellar Night event on March 23, 2007.http://www.starlight.org/atf/cf/%7B5BA4C9B4-81DD-431A-B59E-C291DBBFFC92%7D/Press%20Release%20-%20Gala%20-%20February%202007.pdf The award recognizes individuals who break new ground to help seriously ill children cope with their disease.
Mission statement
HopeLab's official mission statement describes the organization and its activities thus:- Combining rigorous research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness.
Cancer Initiative
HopeLab's first product is the Re-MissionRe-Mission
The Re-Mission video game for teens and young adults with cancer was released by the nonprofit HopeLab on April 3, 2006. The game is a Microsoft Windows based third-person shooter based in the serious games genre...
video game for teens and young adults with cancer. Released on April 3, 2006, the game is a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
based third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
based in the serious games genre. The game was conceived by Pam Omidyar and designed based on HopeLab research, direct input from young cancer patients and oncology doctors and nurses, and game developer Realtime Associates
Realtime Associates
Realtime Associates is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was founded in 1986 by David Warhol and a group of ex Mattel Electronics employees originally to create games for the Intellivision system...
, among others. The game was designed to engage young cancer patients through entertaining game play while impacting specific psychological and behavioral outcomes associated with successful cancer treatment.
HopeLab conducted an international, multicenter randomized controlled trial to gauge the efficacy of Re-Mission as it relates to compliance
Compliance (medicine)
In medicine, compliance describes the degree to which a patient correctly follows medical advice...
with prescribed chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
and antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
treatments, cancer-related knowledge, and self-efficacy
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.It has been defined as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain set of goals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect...
. The study enrolled 375 cancer patients aged 13–29 at 34 medical centers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Subjects received either computers pre-loaded with a popular commercial video game (the control group) or computers preloaded with the same control game plus Re-Mission. Study results indicated that playing Re-Mission led to more consistent treatment adherence, faster rate of increase in cancer knowledge, and faster rate of increase in self-efficacy in young cancer patients. These findings were published in August 2008 in the peer-reviewed medical journal Pediatrics
Pediatrics (journal)
Pediatrics is an official peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the inaugural January 1948 issue, the journal's first editor, Hugh McCulloch, articulated the journal's vision: "The content of the journal is... intended to encompass the needs of the whole child in his...
. Notably, to ascertain treatment compliance, researches used objective blood tests to measure levels of prescribed chemotherapy in the bodies of study participants rather than subjective self-report
Self-report inventory
A self-report inventory is a type of psychological test in which a person fills out a survey or questionnaire with or without the help of an investigator...
questionnaires, and electronic pill-cap monitors were used to determine utilization of prescribed antibiotics. Researches concluded that a carefully designed video game can have a positive impact on health behavior in young people with chronic illness and that video-game–based interventions may constitute a component of a broader integrative approach to healthcare that synergistically combines rationally targeted biological and behavioral interventions to aid patients in the prevention, detection, treatment, and recovery from disease.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/122/2/e305
HopeLab is conducting additional research to understand the mechanisms of action that make Re-Mission effective.http://www.hopelab.org/our-research/re-mission-attitudes-study-in-the-brain/ Results of an fMRI study of Re-Mission showing the impact of the game on neurological processes were presented in August 2008 at the 10th International Congress of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.http://www.icbm2008.jp/index.html This research is intended to inform HopeLab's development of the next version of Re-Mission currently underway.
HopeLab makes Re-Mission available at no charge to young people with cancer and their families, as well as oncology healthcare workers and institutions around the world. Copies are also distributed at no charge to others, though donations are accepted. The game can be donwloaded or ordered at re-mission.net in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, or French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. The Re-Mission website also includes an online community
Online community
An online community is a virtual community that exists online and whose members enable its existence through taking part in membership ritual. An online community can take the form of an information system where anyone can post content, such as a Bulletin board system or one where only a restricted...
where teens and young adults can share information and support each other.
CIGNA
Cigna , headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is a global health services company, owing to its expanding international footprint and the fact that it provides administrative services only to approximately 80 percent of its clients...
announced a partnership with HopeLab in which CIGNA distributes copies of Re-Mission to its members at no cost.http://newsroom.cigna.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=715 HopeLab has also partnered with Starlight Children's Foundation and the ESA
Entertainment Software Association
The Entertainment Software Association is the trade association of the video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association and renamed on July 16, 2003...
Foundation to distribute Re-Mission.
Obesity initiative
HopeLab's work to address obesity in young people focuses on efforts to increase levels of physical activity in children 11–14 years old. Research at HopeLab into the issue of obesity informed HopeLab's decision to focus on physical activity to address the negative health outcomes associated with obesity. Data indicate that physical activity levels begin to decrease in middle schoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
(approximately ages 11–14). HopeLab's assessment of available research was compiled into a white paper entitled "Physical Activity Research summary" and published on July 27, 2007.http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/RN_Research_Summary.pdf
To begin development of physical activity interventions, HopeLab, in partnership http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/news/RN_PressRelease_Updated.pdf with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the United States' largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care; it is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans...
's Pioneer Portfolio launched an online competition called Ruckus Nation on September 18, 2007. The competition was structured as a form of crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to a group of people or community through an open call....
, and its objective was to generate ideas for products that will encourage children ages 11–14 to be more physically active. The competition was international in scope, open to people of all ages, with a total prize purse of more than 300,000 USD awarded to winners across four competition categories.http://www.ruckusnation.com/pdf/RN_Rules.pdf More than 1,142 people registered to compete, and 429 ideas were submitted by teams representing 37 countries and 41 U.S. states. Contestants ranged in age from 6 to 82 years of age. Semifinalist teams were announced March 10, 2008. On March 17, 2008, 10 category winners, one grand prize winner, and one grand prize honorable mention were announced at an event at the de Young Museum of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California.http://www.hopelab.org/2008/03/17/winners-announced-in-hopelab%e2%80%99s-global-competition-to-get-kids-moving-press-release/
HopeLab intends to prototype products based on ideas from the competition and scientifically test them to measure their effectiveness in increasing physical activity among children 11–14. Products that prove effective will be developed and widely distributed.
Future Efforts
In addition to its cancer- and obesity-related programs, HopeLab intends to conduct research and product development activities that will address the following diseases:- Sickle cell disease
- Major depressive disorder
- AutismAutismAutism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
External links
- HopeLab main site
- Re-Mission main site supporting game orders and online community
- Ruckus Nation idea competition main site
Articles
- "HopeLab's Playful Approach to Overcoming Childhood Obesity" Smart Planet (October 30, 2009)
- "Silicon Valley Nonprofit in Spotlight After Trip to White House" San Jose Mercury News (July 15, 2009)
- "A Video Game Helping Kids With Cancer" CTV Toronto (August 7, 2008)
- "Video Game Helps Young Cancer Patients Take Meds" Reuters (August 5, 2008)
- "Startup Uses Video Games to Heal Young People" San Francisco Chronicle (August 4, 2008)
- "Video Game Helps Kids Blast at Their Cancer" Toronto Star (August 4, 2008)
- "Study Shows Video Games Can Change Behavior, Biology" Press Release (August 4, 2008)
- "A Video Game Improves Behavioral Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Randomized Trial" Pediatrics (August 2008)
- "OMG! Denver Girls Txt It! Game Is Winner" Denver Post (March 30, 2008)
- "Winners Announced in Hopelab’s Global Competition to Get Kids Moving!" Press Release (March 17, 2008)
- "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America" Trust for America's Health (August 2007)
- "2005-2006 President's Cancer Panel report"