Ryan Zanardi

We Are Jumo Health: Svetlanna F. Davis

An Interview with Svetlanna F. Davis, Senior Account Director

Great companies are made up of great people. Here at Jumo Health, our most valuable resource is our team. We are a collective of medical folk, product people, designers, and storytellers that share a common goal to change health care today. Through our We Are Jumo Health series, we will introduce you to the dedicated people who are the heartbeat of Jumo Health.

This month, we’d like you to meet Svetlanna F. Davis, who has been with Jumo Health since December 2021.

Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to join Jumo Health?

I started my career in advertising/communications, specifically healthcare advertising. If you asked me what I wanted to become when I grew up, advertising, creative, or medical communications is not what I would have said because it wasn’t on my radar.

I grew up in Guyana prior to starting college in the USA. In secondary school (high school), I decided to pursue the business administration path. When I started college, I didn’t know what I wanted to study, but I knew it needed to be something in business but not too stiff. I joined the American Marketing Association (AMA) club on campus, which at the time was the only business club on campus that wasn’t about accounting. It was through this club that I was introduced to advertising. One year, we went to the annual AMA conference, and I attended a session by the NBA where they were playing a sizzle reel highlighting all the cool things they did for underserved communities through NBA Cares. I was blown away by how they combined business, creativity, and social impact. That was when I decided I wanted to be in marketing because I wanted to combine business with creativity and helping people.

A few years later, I applied to be a fellow in the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP) and was selected by a healthcare advertising agency. I didn’t know healthcare marketing was a thing, but I ended up loving it because it combined that trifecta for me: business, creativity, and helping people, in this case, patients. After a few years in healthcare advertising, I decided I wanted to see what else was out there in the medical communications field, and that’s when the opportunity to join Jumo Health came along. I liked the mission of Jumo Health, which is to provide educational materials that explain difficult medical concepts in ways people can understand and make informed decisions in the clinical studies space. In my career, I was never exposed to clinical trials or had the chance to work in the pediatric space, so I came to Jumo Health for that exposure and to continue helping patients.

What excites you the most about working at Jumo Health?

The people. We have some incredible writers, graphic designers, and creative minds at Jumo Health. I get excited whenever I have a new project with a logo and study branding because I get to see what cool creative concepts our talented designers will create for our clients’ unique needs.

Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had while working with Jumo Health that made you feel proud?

I have many memorable moments, but the one that stands out the most in my mind is the occasion on Rare Disease Day when the company organized a live screening of a short documentary video I had been working on for over a year. One of our clients assigned us the task of creating a captivating and empowering documentary-style live-action video to narrate the journey of how a particular drug obtained approval due to the collaborative efforts and unwavering commitment of scientists, advocates, and corporate stakeholders over a period of two decades. The video emphasized the unity within the community and the significant impact the drug will have on the lives of patients.

Can you describe a time when you felt that Jumo Health made a real difference?

Every now and then, I’ll receive a note from a client expressing how much our products or videos are assisting patients in better comprehending a study, the mechanism of action (MOA) of a drug, or their disease. However, Jumo Health has also had a genuine impact on me personally. There was a moment when a toddler in my family was hospitalized after an incident, and I was able to provide his parents with one of the Jumo Health comic books that contains literature to aid them in understanding and navigating their situation more effectively. Empowering individuals by providing them with resources tailored specifically to their needs.

If you could have one superpower to help you in your job, what would it be and why?

Superspeed, because we work in a fast-paced, rapidly changing field.

by Ryan Zanardi

Understanding the truth about vaccines

by Ryan Zanardi

My Life Changed Forever: A Breast Cancer Journey of Hope and Advocacy

In July 2021, LaToya was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her story, characterized by courage and resilience, begins with the unexpected phone alert that set her journey in motion and culminates in her inspiring advocacy work. Despite the arduous treatments and surgeries, LaToya maintains her hope and dedication to raising awareness of breast cancer, particularly among Black women.

LaToya’s Story

On July 26, 2021, my life changed forever….

This is the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was an ordinary day like no other. I was actually working in the emergency department on a 12-hour shift taking care of patients. You see, I am a board-certified emergency medicine physician assistant in clinical practice since 2012. I received the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis by an email alert. I had been expecting to receive a phone call of my biopsy results from a physician as told by the radiologist a couple days beforehand.

I had felt a lump in my left breast about a month prior. I really didn’t think any significance after discovering the lump. I had not long ago stopped breastfeeding my one-year-old baby girl at the time, and I just figured it was a residual breastfeeding milk cyst. A couple more weeks passed by, and I still felt a lump, so I set up a virtual appointment and was able to have a mammogram and sonogram scheduled.

Leading up to the mammogram appointment, I was somewhat nervous. I was 36 years old and didn’t expect to have a mammogram for another four years at a minimum. Before the mammogram even started, the technician verified my age a couple times and went to the radiologist to discuss if I still needed the mammogram. She returned back to the room and said “The radiologist doesn’t feel you need to have the mammogram yet because of your age and I see here that you recently stopped breastfeeding. We should just do the sonogram.” I replied “NO” and that I wanted to still proceed with the mammogram as ordered.

About two days later, I received the mammogram report findings stating “Benign appearing galactocele consistent with patient’s reported history of recent breastfeeding. Repeat sonogram in three months.” I was reassured after reading this report, and I went on with my normal life activities. In another two days, another radiologist calls me to say, “After reviewing the images on a double look, the margins on this mass looks suspicious and you should have a biopsy.” My heart sank! I immediately knew there was a chance of me now having breast cancer, and I was frantic and impatient. I was upset, mad and crying! I couldn’t wait to be contacted by the breast care specialist as instructed by the overreading radiologist. I dialed into the breast center right away to schedule a biopsy.

As the radiologist started the sonogram before the biopsy, I was also looking at the screen and remember saying to him “those margins do look irregular and suspicious.” I was still hopeful at that point and thinking “Ok, he will try to aspirate this cyst first and if milk is drained then we know it’s not cancerous and can stop the procedure.” Unfortunately, the physician was not able to aspirate any fluid from the breast lesion and he proceeded to do the full biopsy. I immediately began to cry because I felt at this point that it was not a benign finding. The radiologist tried his best to reassure me and stated “Let’s just still wait for pathology because this can be another type of cyst benign in nature. You will get a phone call to discuss the results in about three days.” The biopsy was done on a Friday, and I just remembered having a very long and dreary weekend.

Three days later exactly on July 26, 2021, about four hours into my 12hr shift about 3:40 in the afternoon, I received the dreaded news in a very insensitive manner. I RECEIVED MY BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS FROM A PHONE ALERT PATIENT PORTAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION! I had no idea I would be checking results on my phone that would forever change my life. I looked at the report and read the pathology findings showing triple negative breast cancer, grade 3. I dropped everything and went to the physician’s lounge to pull up the report on a desktop because I was thinking, “This has to be a mistake, or I am not reading this clearly.” I printed out the report and read it multiple times and just could not believe it! I grabbed my phone again and tried to dial Kaiser Permanente Breast Center and was not able to reach a physician directly. I could not even think clearly at that point and was erratic! I left work and went home. I am not even sure how I made it home because it was all a blur. Thankfully, I only lived 15 min away from the hospital.

When I pulled into the driveway, I sat in the car for a while. I paged the physician and was speaking to an on-call nurse. She was confirming the results, but I was demanding to speak to a physician to confirm such devastating news. My husband came out to the driveway, and he immediately dropped to the ground in tears. He knew something was wrong because I was home 8 hours early from work and that has never happened. I never spoke to a physician that day. I told the nurse that I was informed by the radiologist that someone would call me with the results. I wasn’t supposed to receive an email notification. She then proceeded to tell me that sometimes patients receive results electronically before the physician sometimes reviews it because of a recent law passage. The CURES Act passed in 2021, requires all hospitals and physicians to make test results available to patients via online portals as soon as they are published. As an ER provider, I knew that my clinical notes were made available to patients online as soon I signed the chart, but I had no idea that this was the impact. I was receiving a cancer diagnosis from a portal notification without the proper confirmation from a physician and with counseling regrading such a sensitive and scary diagnosis. At that moment, I realized I was no longer just a Physician Assistant, I was now a patient too.

I received a phone call the next morning at 8am from a radiologist confirming the diagnosis. He was very cut and dry. He had no emotion tied into the short conversation and just told me I would be contacted by the breast cancer nurse navigator. I was emotionally torn over the next few days and was in a deep somber. About a week later, I had a multi-disciplinary appointment with the medical team about the next steps. I don’t remember recalling much information during that visit. My husband was more of my eyes and ears because I didn’t retain much information at all and was still in a state of shock. As some time progressed as I went through more testing and most importantly, the staging PET scan, I grew weaker mentally, spiritually and emotionally. My PET scan results showed that I was stage 3c. My tumor was 5.5cm and had spread into multiple lymph nodes into my axilla and neck region. The only saving grace was, no metastasis into my organs. I went back to work as I waited for my chemo start date and even resumed work just two days after my port placement. I wanted to keep myself mentally distracted by doing what I love, taking care of patients. I worked until two days prior to chemotherapy initiation treatments.

It took me a long time to process that I was actually a cancer patient. How could this be? I am a licensed health care professional. I am the person who takes care of patients, how did the roles flip? That was the biggest part of it all for me to digest, and I felt vulnerable and weak. After about 8 weeks of chemo, an epiphany came to me. I felt helpless but wanted to do something to still help patients during my cancer treatment journey. The healthcare provider was still alive within me, and I needed to do something to make me feel fulfilled in some way. I decided to start posting videos about my diagnosis in hopes that it would reach another woman who looks like me and the same age. I felt like people needed to know to not wait until your 40th birthday to have a mammogram. Get a mammogram now! Early detection saves lives. No one pushed this health recommendation to me and even through my PA college education, I was always taught mammograms don’t start until age 40. Well, the recommendations and those schoolbooks were wrong. Here I am at the age of 36 without any known family history of breast cancer with a new diagnosis of the most aggressive form of breast cancer.

It wasn’t until after I was diagnosed and started posting videos on social media that I found out that I did have a paternal family history of breast cancer. I always knew my paternal grandmother died of some form of gynecological cancer, but it wasn’t breast cancer. She never really discussed her health history as many African American families do not reveal health conditions. I discovered there’s a strong paternal linkage of various cancers including pancreas, breast and cervical. It was still unclear after speaking with some family members about which family member had what condition because it was assumed to be “quiet about people’s business.” I decided this narrative had to change beginning with me. After growing a stronger social media presence, I started receiving feedback from random women asking me for more advice, sharing their stories, and providing positive feedback. I figured since I couldn’t serve patients directly in the ED at that time while I was on leave from work receiving chemo, then I could reach more via social media.

I have become stronger with advocacy work and breast cancer awareness efforts. I was introduced to Tigerlily Foundation by a friend and quickly found myself in the angel advocate program. I started my own organization as well to help foster my personal breast cancer awareness efforts as well with online speaking panels, community events, TV campaigns, etc. I felt like God was using me for a reason and I became more positive about my journey and diagnosis. I have completed 16 weeks of chemo and 25 sessions of radiation like a champ. I went through a bilateral mastectomy 3 months ago and have another 6-8 months left of oral chemotherapy. My mastectomy went well, and it showed that all 26 of my lymph nodes removed were cancer-free! They were able to remove the tumor surgically with the breast tissue and now I just have to complete oral chemo for any circulating and/or microscopic residual cancer cells in my bloodstream. I am not happy about the upcoming remainder of treatments, but I am hopeful that it will continue to work as my other treatments have.

I am hopeful, grateful, blessed, humble and positive that I will be declared cancer-free forever to be here for my three daughters flourish in life. I still have a lot to live for and travel the world with my loving husband who is my best friend and biggest supporter. I would not be able to get through this at all without him! Cancer is not just a physical diagnosis. It affects your mental, emotional, spiritual and financial state of life as well. It also affects your loved ones and as a cancer thriver, you definitely need a support system and mental health treatment too. I have good and bad days, but I am thriving, and I will not stop until the wheels fall off! I have dedicated myself to helping to eradicate breast cancer and particularly decrease the higher mortality associated with Black Breast Cancer. I owe this to my three daughters whom I pray will never ever have to experience what I am going through in this journey of life.

To all my breasties around the world — don’t forget to fight and count your blessings, because you are blessed my lovelies. Lose yourself in helping others feel better and always remember to be kind to yourselves.

by Ryan Zanardi

We Are Jumo Health: Jesse Jankewicz

An Interview with Jesse Jankewicz, Director of Video Services

Great companies are made up of great people. Here at Jumo Health, our most valuable resource is our team. We are a collective of medical folk, product people, designers, and storytellers that share a common goal to change health care today. Through our We Are Jumo Health series, we will introduce you to the dedicated people who are the heartbeat of Jumo Health.

This month, we’d like you to meet Jesse Jankewicz, who has been the Director of Video Services at Jumo Health since October 2021.

Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to join Jumo Health?

My journey began at a young age. Growing up, my dad owned a photography studio and eventually added video services to it. I have been going on shoots since I was 9 or 10. I developed a passion for photography, video and editing really early on. I’ve always been drawn (pun intended) towards art and animation. As a kid, I would make little cartoons at home and use my dad’s editing equipment to bring my stories to life.

Fast forward to my life post-college and my intent was to get into the video game industry. Advertising, specifically pharma advertising, found me and I fell in love with it. I worked for many years in advertising and had been with an agency that went under. After my departure from that agency I decided to pursue a video game job so I could check that box. I found one and ended up not enjoying my time there as much as I had thought I would. I really missed the ad life.

A friend and former colleague had joined Jumo health a few months before me. He reached out and told me about the team, the mission and just how great it was. He thought I would be a good fit and be able to help the animation department stand on its own.

Joining Jumo Health has been incredibly fulfilling. We have a great group of people with a shared passion. We work hard, play hard and have a real sense of comradery and family. I’m living my best life right now at Jumo health.

What excites you the most about working at Jumo Health?

I’m biased, but I believe I have the best job here at Jumo Health. I have the best team around me which inspires, challenges and pushes me to be better. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to travel and meet the people we’re trying to serve. I’m on the frontlines with these folks, capturing their stories and I’m able to feel the gravity of what we do. What excites me most about working here is I never know what’s next or who I’ll get to meet next.

Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had while working with Jumo Health that made you feel proud?

There have been many proud moments and memorable experiences here at Jumo Health. One standout for me was being part of a team that came up with a theme for a kids “Understanding Clinical Trials” video. I pitched a sing-a-long, hashed out the ideas with team members, wrote the song, worked with a friend to compose the melody and directed the video. I had to work with some kids to capture the VO and singing part, that was a long, fun day. Ultimately, the final video turned out better than expected and I still find myself watching it from time to time.

What’s something you’ve learned from your colleagues at Jumo Health?

I’m still learning and I still have a lot to learn. The people that work here are hands-down the best I’ve ever been surrounded by. What my colleagues have taught me and continue to teach me is how valuable different perspectives are. There are multiple paths we could take to arrive at our goals. Sometimes the path I think is best is the furthest from it. Listening to other people and their thought process has allowed me to grow and learn.

What does a typical day look like for you at Jumo Health?

There are no two days that are alike here. Generally I like to start my mornings reviewing vendor work and offering direction to get those projects up to our standards. Pepper in a few meetings here and there and then I’ll turn my attention towards the development of our in-house 3D projects. There’s always a VO session in the works so I’ll sit in on those and assist with getting the VO in the best spot it can be. Some days I’m editing videos or fixing existing vendor projects. If I have storyboards to develop or vendor boards to clean up, I like to do those later in the day when things are quiet so I can focus on just those. I like to visit with my amazing animation team (shoutout to Brandon and Chris) and share awful dad jokes or just see how they’re doing and if they feel good about where they’re at. Sometimes I’m called on to assist with odd jobs and help clarify some video processes. Of course, I travel for video shoots a lot so those days are their own thing. Busy, busy, busy.

How do you stay inspired in your work?

It’s cliche, but it’s true. If you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life. I love art. I love animation. I love video development. I love talking with people and sharing stories. I love being surrounded by smarter people than myself. I love being on a team of people who share my passion and my work ethic. I love working with my friends. I love not knowing how we’ll get it done but knowing we’ll get it done. I love being challenged. I love knowing that somewhere out there a person may have received some real bad news and might come face-to-face with one of our products. If our product empowers them, even better, but we did our part and that keeps me inspired.

by Ryan Zanardi

The Evolution of Communication in Healthcare and Clinical Trials for a Diverse Patient Population

The recent focus on health equity and diversity in clinical research is long overdue and of critical importance to the future of medical advancements.

For communities of colour, however, their willingness to participate in clinical trials has been marred by a history of mistreatment and abuse. To overcome their justifiable mistrust, the industry must be sensitive to the cultural needs of specific communities and provide relevant resources for each cohort it wants to recruit. In all cases, the information provided should reflect the patients’ culture, age, educational attainment and other factors key to engagement and learning. Educational resources that are provided in a familiar format with a storyline and art direction that is reflective of the target consumer group can play vital roles in achieving a successful action-oriented communication plan.

Clinical research has the power to bridge gaps in health equity, increase access to (and utilisation of) healthcare and address traditional social determinants of health. With investments upwards of $2bn required to research and develop a single drug, the importance of a diverse and educated participant pool cannot be overstated. With recruitment and retention numbers problematically low, investing in an informed and engaged patient is critical to ensuring a successful trial in which an investigational therapy is appropriately studied among a broad base of participants.

Enter animation as a culturally sensitive and effective educational resource. A familiar format that brings to life the written word in a way to ensure the patient can successfully act upon the instruction provided.

With its unique ability to overcome literacy and comprehension barriers, animation can serve a critical role in pre- and post-consent patient education – ensuring patients can make informed decisions regardless of their age, educational attainment or ethnic group.

Impact of Investigators’ Struggle to Recruit and Retain Participants

Studies have shown that 85% of trials under-enroll, with 50% of trials enrolling one or zero patients.^{1, 2} Time lost seeking to reach sample size and other recruitment challenges causes delays in 80% of trials.1 Patient recruitment is estimated to account for 40% of a clinical trial’s budget, and delays during the recruitment process can result in lost revenue totaling $600,000 to $8m per day for every day the study is delayed.²

Participant retention is equally essential to the success of a clinical trial. 85% of trials fail to retain enough patients, and the average dropout rate is approximately 30% across all trial types.²

Bridging Health Literacy Gaps

A focus on increasing health literacy by deploying understandable study resources should be leveraged to avoid drug development delays and ensure safe, effective and affordable treatments are made available to the patient communities that need them.

Animation is one example of a cost-effective solution that can be adapted to better serve disparate groups and, as such, improve recruitment, compliance and retention.

Fear of the unknown, especially in a clinical trial, can have a ripple effect downstream; clear and concise information can alleviate some retention issues. Clear communication is key to helping patients absorb and process the information needed to understand and manage their condition and trial expectations. Educational resources are also beneficial to caregivers who are concerned for the welfare of their loved ones and likely in need of information about their condition and the trial.

However, individual patients and caregivers have different degrees of health literacy. Common health literacy gaps can be caused by language barriers (speaking a different native language or being less than fluent), comprehension barriers due to lack of familiarity with medical terminology and anxiety, which can prevent a patient from absorbing and understanding information they would normally comprehend. The way in which trial information is presented can mean the difference between successful enrollment and retention and overall participant satisfaction.

Leveraging Animation to Bridge Health Literacy Gaps and Improve Trial Design, Management and Delivery

Animation has been proven to help patients and caregivers absorb and retain vital information and can calm fears and increase engagement, leading to improved healthcare literacy, patient experience and trial data quality. In a study of animations about clinical trial participation for cancer patients and survivors, a total of 1,194 participants answered questions about the effects of animated educational content compared to brochures both with and without visuals. The materials described placebos, randomisation, the required steps to enrol in a clinical trial and the ways in which patients were protected throughout a clinical trial.

The results showed that animations improved knowledge of and attitudes toward clinical trials in general, and that animations were more effective in presenting information than brochures.

The animations were particularly effective in improving motivation and overcoming health literacy barriers.⁵

The ‘why’ behind the use of animation techniques and its superior effectiveness lies in information processing methods in the human brain. Studies show that 40-80% of what a person hears is immediately forgotten, and the remaining 50% is recalled incorrectly. After three hours, only 25% of what was originally heard is recalled; after three days, merely 15%.

This makes verbal communication a very inadequate method of transferring information that needs to be retained accurately.

Even written or read information is quickly forgotten; after three hours, 72% of what was read is recalled, and after three days, this drops to 10% – even lower than heard information. Therefore, clinical research teams should not merely rely on printed information when seeking to communicate effectively, especially with younger patient populations whose reading comprehension levels vary greatly.

The percentage of recall and retention jumps dramatically when visuals and/or motion graphics are integrated with spoken or written information. The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text alone. When comparatively studied, introducing visuals leads to 80% of information being retained after three hours and an incredible 65% retention and recall after three days. The biggest advantage of using animation is the duration of accurate recall even after an extended period of time.6 Animation is an amazing tool for bridging the knowledge and understanding gaps in health literacy because it is visually engaging, accessible and memorable.

Creating content in a format that people prefer increases the value of this tool even more. Videos and animation have quickly become the preferred method of sharing and learning, with the average person now spending around 100 minutes a day watching online videos. 82% of consumer internet
traffic will be videos by the end of this year.⁵

Similarly, two-thirds of people say they prefer watching a short video to learn about a product or service than reading an article/website/post online, viewing an infographic, downloading an eBook, reading something in print, attending a webinar, or speaking to someone.⁷

The Animation Creative Process

Animation can be a powerful tool to bridge language and comprehension gaps, demonstrating ideas and information visually, often without the need for any audio or text. It can bring complex concepts to life, delivering emotion alongside a message, humanizing the healthcare experience for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

When animation is done well, it can enable viewers to immediately relate to the characters and content, enhancing comprehension and retention of information and enabling viewers to act. This medium can be leveraged to boost engagement and improve patient experience before, during and after participation in a trial.

This benefit for patients can also improve the efficacy and speed of the trial, leading to more robust, complete trial data and lessening the chances of costly delays. The value of this approach to clinical trial participation cannot be overstated; if patients can connect to information in a way that carries them from recruitment all the way through participation and follow-up, engagement and completion rates for trials can be drastically improved.

There are six key steps to help ensure the efficient completion and optimal impact of any animated video used in clinical trials:

Step 1: Understand Your Objectives and Your Audience’s Needs

Scientific, business and audience demographic information is gathered, understood and synthesized. Sponsors and stakeholders identify the story’s objectives and clarify scientific and participant information. What do patients need to understand and what should they do with the information?

This is an essential step in preparation for creating a story that will bring the science to life for the target audience.

Step 2: Outline and Develop the Story

Base medical information is fleshed out to identify the main components of the story while still ensuring all necessary details are conveyed. Understanding the audience helps to convey the science in a way that ensures anyone in that audience will grasp the message and meaning. At that point, script and characters can be developed; these can be embodied with recognizable, relatable, consistent thematic elements that will carry throughout a story and reiterate essential information over a significant length of time. A ‘scratch track’ or recorded reading of the script is done to determine the length and cadence of the story.

Step 3: Visualize the Key Elements

Main scenes and action are blocked out visually in a black and white storyboard, outlining the elements and key frames of the story from beginning to end. The storyboard can then be brought to life through animatics adding rudimentary motion and transitions to the storyboards. This step helps to determine the overall visual flow and ensure all the visual elements are scientifically accurate and appropriately represented.

Step 4: Establish a Unique and Impactful Style

The animators put colour and finishing touches on some key scenes to determine and solidify the desired style for all characters, scientific elements, copy labels, etc. This allows all stakeholders the opportunity to refine any visual details before the animation process begins. These style boards are the blueprint that the animators will follow when creating the final deliverable.

Step 5: Voice-Over and Sound Design

During the animation process, music and sound effects will be selected and the appropriate individual will be chosen to voice-over the video content. This can be done in any language or accent desired to enhance the understanding of the content. The right voice, music and sound effects can elevate the overall impact of any animated story.

Step 6: Composite and Complete

The final animation will be delivered in two stages. First, a rough cut to ensure any outstanding needs can be addressed, and then the final cut in whatever format is needed to be approved and utilized.

Animating the Future of Clinical Trials

Bringing healthcare information to life via animation provides engaging, targeted and effective communication. Its value in equipping different patient and caregiver groups – regardless of age, health literacy, language or other demographics – with the knowledge required to make informed decisions makes it an essential and exciting communication tool. Proper use of animation can streamline recruitment measures by explaining clinical trials, simplifying complex study protocols, and as such, reduce participant dropout by reducing fear and anxiety, boosting interest and engagement by delivering recognisable, consistent messaging and guidance throughout the patient pathway.

These improvements will result in faster, more cost-effective completion of trials, and, ultimately, better treatment options for underserved patient populations.

by Ryan Zanardi

Melanoma Awareness Month: Matt's Story

I was diagnosed with stage 3a melanoma cancer in July of last year. Melanoma is caused by overexposure to the sun and UV rays. When your skin darkens, whether tanning or burning, that is evidence of skin damage. What I didn’t know about melanoma, and you may not either, is unlike other skin cancers that typically develop on sun-exposed parts of the body, it can form anywhere on your skin, like the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. Melanoma can also spread unpredictably to any organ in the body. It’s the fifth most common cancer in the United States and cases diagnosed annually are increasing faster than any other cancer.

Two years ago, I started work at Jumo Health as a graphic designer. Prior to Jumo Health, I had worked my way up as a designer across various industries from education and public safety to fashion and professional sports only to get let go due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As scary as that was, it challenged my faith and put things in a new perspective. I was grateful when the opportunity at Jumo Health came, but it wasn’t until 6 months later that I realized what a blessing this job would be to me, especially my health.

I was assigned a project for a melanoma clinical study that included logo development, a website, and other print and digital material. I began to research Melanoma in preparation for the client presentation. The presentation was unique to say the least! The client knew exactly what she wanted and abruptly stopped the presentation after she liked the first logo option, an abstract butterfly. It caught us off guard but was a welcomed interruption. I enjoyed capturing her vision of “fashion not pharma” in the pieces, and the more I worked on them and learned about Melanoma, the more I thought I should get checked out myself.

I learned that melanoma could be hereditary. My mom had melanoma, but because of the simplicity of her experience catching it early and getting it removed at the dermatologist, I didn’t think much of it. I had a mole on my stomach that was of concern, but I would convince myself it was fine. I had put it off for years. Coincidentally, the day after I set up my dermatologist appointment, my mom called out of the blue to tell me to see a dermatologist!

The process from the biopsy at the dermatologist, to the diagnoses, to the surgery, and staging, was full of emotion. Waiting was the hardest part. Knowing I had cancer, but not sure how severe it was or if it was spreading, became a regular source of fear, especially with a 2-year-old and a new baby on the way. I waited five weeks for my consultation with the surgeon. She wanted to remove it as soon as possible, but they couldn’t fit me in for another five weeks. I asked if I could get on a waitlist but was told they don’t do that, nobody cancels, it’s impossible. I could barely sleep that night. I had a strong sense the surgeon wanted me back immediately. To my surprise, the nurse called the next morning and asked if I could do surgery the next day! What an answer to prayer!

Thanks to clinical studies, the standard of care looks different now compared to just 5 years ago. They used Lymphatic Mapping to know exactly what lymph nodes to remove rather than taking them all. In my case, they removed lymph nodes from 3 different parts of my body and found cancer in one.

That was tough news to hear. The majority of the projects I was working on at the time were cancer-related. Repeatedly, I kept reading how early detection is key to survival and how aggressive melanoma is if it reaches the lymph nodes. There I was feeling guilty that I didn’t get checked sooner. Maybe I could’ve avoided it and not put my family through this. Thankfully the cancer was microscopic so maybe I did detect it early enough. Now I have different types of scans several times a year to monitor for recurrence.

As part of my checkups, I also see my primary care, dentist, and eye doctor, as they may find things other scans do not. My initial design project came full circle when the dentist found a spot that needed to be biopsied. While he was poking around in my mouth, I was staring at a mobile of butterflies hanging from the ceiling. It was a joyful reminder of the project I was working on during the initial diagnosis and of God’s faithfulness over the year. In those moments when fear creeps in, I have hope, and in tears, I still find joy. I trust in Jesus who says “I have said these things to you so that in me you have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” The spot in my mouth was benign.

Like many others, I HATE shots or being poked and prodded. This was a big reason I waited to get my mole checked out. So, for anyone trying to avoid that, go see a dermatologist anyway! Get a full body scan. And remember, any sunburn or tanning bed greatly increases your chances of getting melanoma.

To reduce the chance of getting melanoma, you can:

• Stay out of the sun in the middle of the day (from 10AM to 4PM)
• Wear sunscreen and reapply it often
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, or long pants
• Not use tanning beds.

Melanoma often looks like a brown or black mole or birthmark. But melanoma has features that make it different from normal moles and birthmarks. One way to remember the abnormal features of melanoma is to think of the letters A, B, C, D, and E:

• Asymmetry–One half can look different than the other half.
• Border–It can have a jagged or uneven edge.
• Color It can have different colors or a mix of colors (like brown, black, and red).
• Diameter–It is larger than the eraser on the end of a pencil.
• Evolution–Its size, color, or shape can change over time.

Melanomas can also turn into sores that bleed. Many moles and birthmarks are normal and are not melanoma. But if you have a mole or birthmark that you think might be abnormal, show it to your doctor or nurse.

Melanoma can present differently in people of color compared to those with lighter skin. In darker-skinned individuals, melanoma often appears on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and under the nails. It can also present as a dark stripe under a fingernail or toenail. Additionally, melanoma in people of color may not have the typical appearance of a dark, irregularly shaped mole and may instead be pink, red, or even the same color as the surrounding skin. These differences can make it more difficult to detect melanoma in people with darker skin tones, leading to later diagnosis and worse outcomes.

by Ryan Zanardi

The Makings of an Effective Study Website

Creating an effective website for your clinical trial is essential to recruiting participants, ensuring accessible information, and improving the transparency of the trial. Undoubtedly you’ve read all about the importance of a dedicated study website and now you’re wondering how to make that happen.

A simple, yet intuitive user flow with the right mix of copy and multimedia are part of our recipe for creating a well-designed website and experience for your trial participants. In this blog post, we will discuss some key elements that go into it.

1. User-Friendly Design:

The website should be designed to be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and accessible to a wide range of users. The site should have a clear and concise layout, with simple navigation and intuitive controls. The design should be consistent with the branding of the study, should be visually appealing to users, and should adhere to the latest UX/UI best practices.

2. Clear and Concise Information (That Participants Want):

Less is more! Clear and concise information about the clinical trial can go a long way in ensuring retention of the information. In addition, this should be information that people want. Key topics that prospective participants want to know include:

• The purpose of the study
• Information about the drug being studied
• Duration of participation
• Location of sites
• Risks & benefits

Other topics we recommend including:

• Information on clinical research (to foster trust and emphasize the importance)
• Educational content on the condition being studied (to put into context why the research is important)
• Informed consent/assent information (to help bridge the gap between considering participation and signing that lengthy legal form)
• Contact information (so prospective or active participants know who to get in touch with for questions or more information)

Always, our sites include a Frequently Asked Questions section to provide quick and simple answers to the most pressing questions.

3. A Variety of Media:

When looking at how we distribute the information discussed above, we want to use a variety of media types. We recommend specific media types based on the topic of discussion and the audience. For example, quick videos for teens, longer format video for at-home drug administration, infographics for study schedule & assessments.

And always, we recommend including a mixture of media types on the website: videos (contact us to learn more about our custom and off-the-shelf/licensable video options), LOTS of images and graphics to support the copy, and downloadable resources to ensure participants always have access to the information they need while at home (we call this a Resource Center, and it lives as a standalone page on your website).

We also know that it doesn’t need to be all about education all the time. Especially for our pediatric trials, we like to inject some fun into the program. Blood draws and other tests/assessments can be very scary to a young child, and the stress that this puts on a parent or caregiver could be a reason they drop out altogether. For this, we’ve created our Jumo Health Shorts, a series of 1-minute videos featuring Roland & Robin, a bird and bear duo who have fun (and funny) adventures. Young kids are immediately engrossed, making a blood draw or injection an easier task for site staff and a less traumatic event for families. With no dialogue or onscreen text, these videos are available immediately in all markets.

For long study visits, we offer licensable games and digital coloring books to keep children and teens busy (see for yourself how easy it can be to become invested in this red blood cell’s quest to collect all the oxygen!)

4. Privacy and Security:

Websites should be compliant with applicable regulations and standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We use best-in-class security and monitoring platforms to ensure that content is only viewable in the countries where it is approved, and that any sensitive information is pincode-protected.

5. Quick Build Time:

We know that study teams often need quick turnaround times, so our websites are templated and designed for expedited launch. Our partners can choose from 3 templates of varying design, layout, and functionality; we then customize that template to the needs of the study and our clients’ branding (or apply the custom branding we’ve created), and voila!

For study teams who have more time and want functionality for their websites beyond our templated solutions, we offer custom websites. Our Strategic Solutions & DevOps team will partner with you to gather all the necessary information to put together a project plan that meets your unique needs.

In conclusion, creating an effective website for a clinical trial requires a great design, the right mix of information and media, security & regulatory compliance, as well as speed to market. By following these key elements, you can ensure that your website is user-friendly and available in time to support awareness of the trial, improve participant recruitment, and enhance the transparency of the research being conducted.

Get in touch today to start building yours!

References:

1. CISCRP, 2021.

by Ryan Zanardi

We Are Jumo Health: Avis Woods

An Interview with Avis Woods, Director of Visual Design

Great companies are made up of great people. Here at Jumo Health, our most valuable resource is our team. We are a collective of medical folk, product people, designers, and storytellers that share a common goal to change health care today. Through our We Are Jumo Health series, we will introduce you to the dedicated people who are the heartbeat of Jumo Health.

This month, we’d like you to meet Avis Woods, who has been the Director of Visual Design at Jumo Health since October 2022. Avis lives in Atlanta, GA.

What do you like most about working in healthcare?

I value how educational it is to work in healthcare. Not only am I educating patients, but I am also being educated. The healthcare industry is the perfect place to nurture my desire to help others, while being able to put a creative flare on marketing collateral for all target audiences.

Working in the healthcare industry allows you to nurture your desire to help others while earning a living—talk about a win-win. Indeed, there are few professions where you can touch the lives of others—and make a difference in them—the way you can in the healthcare industry. 

Why did you join Jumo Health? 

Throughout my career, I have enjoyed my various positions in healthcare. I am incredibly excited to help lessen health disparities and educate minorities. I believe every person should receive affordable, equal healthcare and I hope to make a difference for all underrepresented populations.

Describe a day in the life of your job. 

Each day is different and that’s one reason I have enjoyed my creative background. It varies from reviewing creative content, developing successful strategies, providing hands-on design, creative direction and educating others on creative lingo. I enjoy seeing the amazing work produced by other creatives as well as learning new tips and tricks from them.

What motivates you? 

I am mostly motivated when I am able to create fun, impactful, educational and colorful artwork with longevity for the target audiences.

What are some hobbies or interests you have outside of work? 

I am a foodie! I enjoy trying different restaurants around town and experiencing different vibes. I also enjoy various museum exhibits and festivals. Here in Georgia, there are numerous festivals year-round. I tend to gravitate toward art and food festivals.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last five years? 

To go for it! Whether it’s personal or professional, get a gameplan and execute it.

by Ryan Zanardi

The Importance of an Effective Study Website for Your Clinical Trial

Recently, I got an email from my local health system advertising a clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine. As someone who lives in rural New Jersey, this was very exciting news! I feverishly scrolled for the website link, only to find a phone number [*eye roll*]. I would have stopped right then and there, as I was silently scrolling while trying to get my 7-month-old to sleep and a phone call was out of the question; however, I remembered what I do for a living and made a note to myself to call the number the next day. When I did, it was a disconnected line!

Disconnected line aside, asking the potential participant (even one who works in the clinical trial space) to pick up the phone is a gamble. Not having a website to legitimize your trial? A bad bet. I would have happily participated in that study had there been a website to visit, gather more information, and enroll!

For many people considering participating in a clinical trial, the process can be overwhelming and confusing. This is where having a website dedicated to the study can be incredibly helpful. In this blog post, we will discuss why it’s important to have a website for people to reference when considering or participating in a clinical trial.

Accessible Information

One of the most obvious benefits of having a study website for patients to reference is the accessibility of information. Clinical trials can be complex and difficult to understand, especially for participants who may not have a medical background (cue Jumo Health!). A website can serve as a hub to provide detailed information about the trial, the treatment being tested, and the potential risks and benefits – in a variety of formats. This information can be presented in a clear and concise manner, whether on the web page itself, in a video, or as a downloadable resource, making it easier for patients to understand and make informed decisions about their health.

Transparency

Transparency is key when it comes to clinical trials. People want to know what they’re getting into and what to expect. Study websites should provide transparency into the trial process, including how the trial is being conducted, who is conducting it, and what is being asked of participants. This level of transparency can help build trust between participants and researchers, which is essential for the success of any clinical trial.

Improved Recruitment

Recruiting patients for clinical trials can be challenging to say the least, especially if people don’t know about the trial or don’t understand the benefits of participating. A dedicated study website can help improve recruitment by providing potential participants with information about the trial and the potential benefits of participation. Beyond providing much-needed information, the website can serve as a recruitment funnel, being the destination of any digital media campaign efforts, hosting a pre-screener to source qualified participants, and providing a call-to-action for those interested to contact a study site.

Better Patient Experience

Participating in a clinical trial can be a daunting experience. A website can help improve the patient experience by providing participants with a clear understanding of what to expect before, during, and after the trial. This can help patients feel more comfortable and confident in their decision to participate. Throughout the trial, a study website can serve as a one-stop-shop for resources. For younger participants, engagement through games and videos can make an often frightening and stressful experience more comforting.

Better Outcomes

Finally, having a dedicated study website can lead to better outcomes for participants and researchers alike. By providing patients with accessible information, transparency, and a better patient experience, researchers can improve recruitment and retention rates, which can ultimately lead to more successful trials and better treatments for all.

In conclusion, don’t make someone call to find out more information about your trial (if you do, at least pick up). Build a dedicated study website for those considering or already participating in your trial. Better yet, let us build one for you! Reach out today to learn more about our custom and templated study website solutions to meet your study team’s timeline and needs.

by Ryan Zanardi