“Four years ago, I knew nothing about social media. I didn’t believe in social media.”
-CEO Doug Ulman of Livestrong
Now he’s all about it: “It connected people around a common cause. It let them know they were a part of something greater than themselves.”
What has made social media great for them and possibly you?
- “Let it bubble up”: Those are the words of the Ulman. At Livestrong, donors vote for themselves to fund different programs. They rally together to get things going, thus they have a sense of investment and autonomy.
- They got the UN Involved: By use of pictures and stories, on the platform of social media. Now that’s impressive. Cancer is now an issue addressed by the United Nations.
- “It’s not a one-way tool of communication”: Ulman’s statement holds very true in the case of Brian Rose whose insurance company wouldn’t cover his clinical trial. The organization posted a video of him after being diagnosed with stage 5 melanoma and after lots and lots of support, the insurance company gave in and covered his expenses.
Social media is valuable for the community it creates or in Ulman’s words, “A community does not move forward unless it moves forward together.”
Information Source: 'I Didn't Believe in Social Media' and About Bracelets for Cancer
Photo Source: Flickr/Vaughan