Meet Lee, Your Community Manager

Hello Lee, members often see you getting involved in discussions or receive messages from you, but what exactly is your role?

As the Community Manager of the Carenity US forum, my role is to help members get the most out of Carenity. I help them find the right information, suggest discussions or articles that may be of interest to them, and initiate discussions to allow them to discuss general topics or issues related to a particular disease.

I am also responsible for ensuring that exchanges take place under good conditions; I may moderate inappropriate comments, close discussions when they are dated, warn members that their personal details should not be communicated on the forum, etc.

How can members contact you or alert you if a message is inappropriate?

Members can, of course, contact me by private message. We also have set up a tool to facilitate the identification of inappropriate comments: it’s the little "! " inside a dark grey circle which you can find to the right of comments on the forum or to the right of private messages in the mailbox.

For the private messages, for the sake of confidentiality and respect for conversations between members, I have no access to the content of private messages between members. However, if five members report another member, the latter will be automatically suspended from Carenity.

As far as the forum is concerned, I am informed of the reported comments. This allows me to check whether the comment is inappropriate and to intervene if necessary. If you accidentally reported a comment, don't panic, I check them all, one by one, and I don’t delete or modify those that don't have an issue.

Can members ask you for advice about their illness?

Carenity is not a substitute for a consultation with a health professional, so I am not authorized to give medical advice. Overall, I try to be non-judgmental and neutral in the ongoing discussions.

However, members should not hesitate to contact me because I can do my best to redirect them to a forum or discussion about their illness and connect them with other members who share the same experiences. Members can also contact me if they want to share their story/experience in the form of a testimonial on a specific point/topic regarding their condition, care, journey, or daily life to help other readers.

What do you like most about Carenity on a daily basis?

Being a part of Carenity US since its inception (approximately, 1 year and 6 months ago) has been a very enjoyable and remarkable experience. I have been able to witness Carenity grow from its very first member to, now, thousands of members.  

The thing I like most about Carenity is the resource it serves as for individuals dealing with a chronic condition and their loved ones. As a community manager, I have had the privilege to read many wonderful stories, experiences, and testimonials and witness the outstanding support and advice that members give to others. The thing I like most about my job role as Community Manager is being able to be a facilitator in the reception of this support and advice, as well as the sense of community that comes along with it.

Do you remember a particular anecdote, story, or project?

There has been many discussions and projects that I remember. I will name a few, but this is by no means inclusive.

As I mentioned above, I really enjoy seeing all the support that is given from members. Depression definitely seems to be one of the conditions that really takes a toll on people and every condition comes with moments of uncertainty and sadness which can transpire into depression. (If you suffer from depression, but have not added the condition to your profile, I encourage you to do so, so that you can have access to the depression forums also - add depression to your profile by clicking here and then click the Add a Condition box.)

One of the most encouraging posts I have seen grow was a discussion where members who needed someone to just talk to and listen, came to share. There are over 7 pages of members who are struggling with depression – sharing advice and giving support. Click here to see this discussion and join in on the discussion.

@Emma2190‍'s testimonial regarding her Multiple Sclerosis is another one that I remember. Coming up on its first year anniversary, this testimonial really touched a lot of members and offered some great advice, especially the Daith Piercing, which benefited not only people with MS but also migraines. Read Emma's testimonial here. Also, Emma's story, advice, and support also were shared in her discussion; click here to read her discussion.

A Carenity project that I also remember well is the article posted regarding Carenity's survey, “The diagnosis of cancer as told by Carenity members.” This was one of the first surveys posted on Carenity and it was very enlightening to see so many members share their experiences and stories cancer. It gave members a chance to have their voices heard and play a role in their healthcare, great quality of most Carenity surveys. In case you did not know, Carenity invites our members to take surveys, which often are carried out in partnership with public and private healthcare stakeholders: to improve medical care for people affected by chronic conditions. You can read more about it here.

Carenity also exists in five European countries. In your opinion, are there any specific features of the platform you are running?

Carenity across all platforms offer great functions: forum, testimonials, health news articles, and survey. As with all Carenity platforms, there is great support and growth within the community; however, I feel that the Carenity US community is growing rapidly and the sense of community is amazing! There are many members who play a very active role in the community and truly have become key participants in the success and growth of the community!

A great hidden resource of Carenity US is the Procedures and Paperwork section, which provides members with articles about their rights and administrative procedures, such as tips on how to pay medical bills, how to file a health insurance claim, and how to reintegrate into the workplace.

What are the 3 adjectives that would best define you?

Resolute, hardworking, and loyal.

Many thanks to Lee for presenting his role at Carenity! Feel free to ask him further questions in the comments section below!