Scanadu Blog Empathy That is Screaming to Get Out

Last week after posting Walter's talk in China, The Era of Citizen Doctors, we received many emails. One in particular stood out and we wanted to share it. It came from Tanya Maslach, a 44-year-old biologist, industrial psychologist and tech product developer, who lives in San Mateo. Like many of us, Tanya has been closely following the latest developments in digital health, an interest that became her passion after a personal tragedy.Here is what she wrote to us:"Hi Walter and Sam,You don't know me, and I hope one day that will change... but in one presentation, your work has ignited a fire within me.Since meeting (at least virtually) John Nosta, my world has significantly grown bigger, and smaller.Bigger because, through John I came to find Walter's presentation at the WE Summit. And like my younger sister who dreamt of going to the moon as the first female astronaut, I was both giddy and nervous. Giddy because I felt like I found my calling -- and then nervous because I didn't know if I should contact you, or if I did, would you respond?I began drawing notes for ideas, then hurrying back to Scanadu's site to read more. Then pausing and starting Walter's presentation, while typing more notes and drawing more ideas. Yes, drawing.... because it was the only way I could put down the ideas I imagined in my head without getting too buried in the technology of "how it would work". I wanted a picture!Anyway, my sister - who never made it to the moon, but did make it to the Naval Academy, then led an extremely accomplished career in it and then the FBI - has been my inspiration. She, at the young age of 38, died from PNET, a rare and incurable form of neuroendocrine cancer. She swore defiantly and with courage that she would live. And our family and her oncologist stood by her in her defiance and belief - until no one could stand any more. In Walter's presentation, he said companies like AirBnb and Uber were unleashing the power of consumers in new and powerful ways... and that health was our next frontier to do so because we were all healers.... "We have empathy that is screaming to get out"When my sister whispered to me in strained breath, "Tanya what is happening? Can you stop it?" I could only weakly answer a fractured response: "I don't know sister. I don't know".As a trained biologist, then industrial psychologist, and now tech product strategist and developer, I have always had a deep passion for health and wellness.But in the last 7 years, I have a very personal and passionate goal in my life; to use my talents and strengths to empower consumers at every stage of their health; prevention of disease, the management of it and its reversal.I will stay tuned to Scanadu and in as much as you are available, ask for your time to learn what you are learning, and hopefully one day, be a part of your work in some way, shape or form.Thank you for what you are building.Tanya"Touched by her letter, we invited Tanya to come and meet with us this week. She is not a tester within the Indiegogo campaign and had never seen our products. She liked their easiness and simplicity and shared her feedback, hopes, and concerns with us.The word "patient" has two meanings - 1. A person receiving or registered to receive medical treatment. And 2. Someone able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.We're all consumers who eventually become the former, and do our best to remain the latter. In her sister's battle with cancer, Tanya wasn't the patient, but as a product developer and consumer she is still patient. You can read more about Tanya's story on her Medium post.Before leaving Tanya asked, "To what end we can push the limits, the regulations, the costs, the conventional thinking, the constraints and the 'but we can't build THAT' kind of inner voices?" We believe that fortunately, we don't all have the same inner voices.More feedback to come from people who are emailing us and from those testing what we're building.