Health Innovation Hub Ireland pilot demonstrates powerful impact of patient led cancer support innovation
Following World Cancer Day on February 4th, Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) has launched a new case study showcasing the impact of Someone Like Me, a patient-centred app designed to support people through and beyond cancer treatment.
Cancer affects over 42,000 people in Ireland each year, bringing not only significant physical challenges but also profound emotional and psychosocial strain for patients and their families. Addressing this need requires innovation that goes beyond clinical treatment supporting the whole person throughout their cancer journey.
Through a HIHI-facilitated pilot at the Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute (TSJCI), Someone Like Me was evaluated in a real-world clinical setting. Thirty participants tested the app and provided structured feedback as part of HIHI’s stage-gated innovation framework.
The results highlight the transformative potential of connection and lived experience:
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100% of patients reported that the app was helpful and emotionally supportive
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At least 90% of family members and friends said it made them feel less alone
Founded by breast cancer survivor Vanessa Mooney, Someone Like Me was created from personal experience to ensure no one navigating cancer feels isolated. The app serves as both a companion and a compendium of cancer-related services, supporting patients, survivors, and their loved ones at every stage of the journey.
Features include:
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A supportive peer community
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Evidence-based educational resources
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Access to local wellness services such as physiotherapy, nutrition and exercise classes
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Shared patient stories and podcasts
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Tools to support treatment navigation and survivorship
Health Innovation Hub Ireland facilitated the pilot in collaboration with TSJCI, identifying suitable participants and overseeing structured evaluation of the app’s design, usability and impact. HIHI’s model enables meaningful engagement between healthcare providers and innovative companies, ensuring solutions are clinically relevant and patient-focused.
On the launch of the pilot HIHI said: “This case study exemplifies what patient-centred innovation looks like. Collaboration between enterprise, clinicians and patients combined with lived experience and real-world evaluation can deliver solutions that genuinely improve patient pathways and outcomes.”
Patient and Public, Partnership Lead at TSJCI said “What the Someone Like Me app provides, is that connection to other people who have similar experiences, being able to share their stories and gain emotional and educational support outside the clinical setting. The app is easy to navigate, educational and most importantly a way to connect to others like you”.
Vanessa Mooney, CEO & Founder, Someone Like Me commented on working with HIHI on conclusion of the pilot: “Jonny Moran has been incredible to work with and has supported me every step of the way during my pilot with St James’s Hospital. His guidance, encouragement, and practical support made a huge difference, and honestly, I couldn’t have done it without him.
The wider support from HIHI was equally valuable. I always felt backed, understood, and supported, which gave me the confidence to move the pilot forward in a hospital setting. I’m extremely grateful to Jonny [Moran] and the HIHI team for their belief in me and in the work I’m building.”
The pilot findings underscore the growing importance of psychosocial supports in cancer care and demonstrate how digital innovation, when grounded in lived experience and clinically evaluated, can enhance emotional wellbeing alongside medical treatment.
Someone Like Me is currently in private pilot testing and will soon be available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Read the full case study here: https://hih.ie/downloads/case-studies/HIHI-case-study_Someone-Like-Me.pdf