Mission:
To bring together a global community of care powered by the love of family and friends in an easy, accessible, and private way.

Background:
Since 1997, CaringBridge has offered free, secure personalized Web pages to individuals undergoing medical treatment or other important life events. The individual gains the support he or she needs from extended family and friends, while the immediate family can focus its energies on its loved one. Approximately 70 percent of CaringBridge Web pages are created for sick or injured children and newborns. The CaringBridge community includes families in all fifty states and many countries worldwide. To date, CaringBridge had hosted nearly 18,000 personalized pages, with more than 82 million visits and 2.5 million messages of support for patients and their families. CaringBridge partners include employee assistance programs, employers, faith-based organizations, foundations, hospitals and clinics, long-term care facilities, medical care providers, medical supply companies, clubs, and support groups. In May, July, and August 2004, Gary Trudeau featured CaringBridge in his syndicated Doonesbury cartoon.

Outstanding Feature:
The CaringBridge Web site allows users to create their own Web page in three quick steps: supplying basic information, such as name, home address, e-mail address, and hospital address, and creating a Web page address and password; verifying the information; and customizing the page (you can add a colorful background and border, photos, guestbook, and links to other pages). Sample pages for newborns, children, and adults are included. A person must be eighteen years old or older to create and maintain a CaringBridge page; a parent or guardian must do so for those who are younger. Visitors to a CaringBridge page must enter the address provided to them by the creator of the page into their Internet browser or on the CaringBridge visitors' page to get updates and post messages of support and encouragement.