IN THE PRESS
September 17, 2015
Parkinson’s Disease is a debilitating condition – one that can impact and take its toll on both those inflicted and their families, in many ways. One of those effects being the constant struggle to fit doctors appointments – and the transportation to and from them – into everyday life.
To help, RAPP partnered with the MEYROW Foundation to launch Rides for Parkinson’s – a mobile app that connects patients unable to commute to and from medical appointments, along with other needs, with volunteer drivers in their area.
Developed during a local Los Angeles hackathon for non-profits – Causathon - a team from RAPP LA ideated and brought to life the concept for the app during a 24 hour R&D period. Aiming to help the organization find digital solutions to some of its largest challenges, the RAPP team pursued the idea of an app. Rides For Parkinson’s would help alleviate the foundation of one of its biggest obstacles: paperwork backlogs.
The app was met with positive feedback all around and ultimately was the top selection at Causathon. Soon thereafter, the team in LA, led by Dave Kalman, SVP of Technology Services, worked to refine the product and bring it to market.
According to Kalman: “Hackathons are a great way to pressure test a concept or idea in a rapid prototyping environment. What made Causathon more enjoyable to us, however, was that the work was all focused around supporting organizations that are working towards a greater good… Most people on our team have done pro bono work in the past, myself included, but I think we get caught in the flurry of work and life, so it’s nice to step back and do something that can translate into good for the community.”
The app is available for volunteer drivers in the iTunes store for download:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rides-for-parkinsons/id1003330022?mt=8
