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Chinese cancer survivor releases app for ostomy patients

Xu Xiaozhao, a colon cancer survivor and Olympic torchbearer, develops a free Android app to improve the professional nursing care for ostomy patients in China.
Written by Liu Jiayi, Contributor
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Source: chinanews.com

Xu Xiaozhao, a colon cancer survivor and Olympic torchbearer, has developed a free Android app aimed at improving professional nursing care for ostomy patients in China.

The app consists of two parts, the DET and AIM. The DET evaluates the skin color, level of wetting, and tissue proliferation, and the AIM gives out care suggestions.

"I am making this app free for every patient and hospital," 62-year-old Xu said to Chinanews.com. "All you have to do is take a picture at the opening, and the app will evaluate the skin's status and makes nursing care suggestions accordingly."

Xu was first inspired by a therapist's speech on the international ostomy standards in March of 2012 and decided to develop such an app."It takes more than one man's effort to make it happen," he said. "I am only responsible for the software part."

Along with four ostomy therapists, the dean of a local vocational college spent three months developing the app and testing it on Android phones and tablets under over 50 brands.

"March of 2012 was a threshold of my life," Xu said. "My mission before that was trying to find out what can an ostpmy patient do, but after that, it was about what I can do for them."

After being diagnosed of colon cancer in 2005, Xu went through numerous surgeries and became an ostpmy patient. Then he started to become a larger-than-life figure.

He joined the 2007 National Qinghai Lake Cycling Tournament and finished the 15km race in two hours. Xu also pushed himself to the limits by rock climbing and surfing. In 2008, he was selected as the Beijing Olympic torchbearer in the city of Nanjing in Jiangsu province.

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Source: yangtse.com
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