From Code to Care: Apps for Patients & Families

Send love. See clearly. Apps that connect and detect.

A family wants to send a card to a loved one in the hospital but doesn’t know how to reach them.

A child struggles to see clearly but no one realizes there’s a problem.

These moments often go unnoticed, yet they shape how patients feel and how early vision health issues are addressed.

Through Courage Canvas, this initiative focuses on refining and expanding high school student created apps that bring connection and early health awareness to patients, families, and communities.

Our student teams have already demonstrated innovation. We are now taking these apps further transforming them into accessible, real-world tools:

Cardly – A platform that allows patients in hospitals to order and send digital or physical cards to their loved one, ensuring messages of care and love can reach their loved ones easily, even during times of limited access or visitation.

VisionCheck – A tool designed to help individuals and families identify potential vision problems early, especially for those without access to regular vision screening, supporting early awareness and timely care.

Your support will help us:

1. Refine app functionality, usability, and accessibility.

2. Conduct real-user testing with patients, families, and youth.

3. Maintain secure hosting and deployment.

4. Advocate and introduce these tools to hospitals, schools, and community programs.

This initiative bridges the gap between technology and real-world care. Students are not just coding and they are building solutions that connect families, reduce patient isolation, and promote early vision health detection.

By supporting this project, you are helping turn innovation into tools that support real people including patients, families, and communities, when it matters most.

Detailed budget including App refinement and outreach:

1. App development and debugging to improve backend (Cardly ordering system, VisionCheck accuracy): $500

2. UI/UX design improvements to make apps easy to use for patients, families, and youth: $400

3. User testing and validation to test with real users for functionality and usability: $300

4. Hosting and cloud services including servers, databases, app performance: $400

5. App deployment and maintenance including    publishing, updates, ongoing fixes: $300

6. Security and privacy to protect user data and ensure safe use: $300

7. Outreach and partnerships to connect with hospitals, schools, and community organizations: $500

8. Educational materials for users (how to use apps effectively): $200

Total Estimated Cost: $2900

Impact goal:

1. Refine and deploy 2 real-world apps.

2. Introduce to hospitals and community programs.

3. Reach 500+ patients, families, and youth.

4. Increase early awareness of vision health.

Your support helps turn simple tools into powerful connections and early care into lasting impact. Thank you so much.