How Drew Olanoff Started #blamedrewscancer
Drew Olanoff didn’t plan on starting a revolution when he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, but that’s exactly what’s happened with #blamedrewscancer. So far, there are more than 20,000 tweets from people blaming Drew’s cancer for everything from the DOS attacks on Twitter to bad hair days. #Blamedrewscancer is raising awareness, has brought cancer survivors and families together (and drawn a LIVESTRONG sponsorship), and it’s making it easier to talk about a sometimes isolating diagnosis. Drew talked with Jennifer Cabala from SMC Seattle about how he uses social media, why he started #blamedrewscancer, and how it’s changed his life and the Twitter sphere.
When did you first start using social media and why?
I used to work at Digital City Philly (AOL) back in the day. I loved chatrooms and congregating with folks who had similar interests and tastes…or lived in my area. It was awesome and instant and powerful. I love people.
Which social media tools do you use most and why?
Twitter is my lifeline. Its my voicemail, its my email. My mom knows when I land from a flight ok, my fiancee knows when I go to sleep at night, and now a bunch of great supportive folks know when I have chemo, feel like crap, or when we get a new donation for LIVESTRONG! I don’t use a twitter client, I’m web all the way. My brain just doesn’t wrap around apps. I use tweetie on the iPhone though.
How did you come up with the idea for #blamedrewscancer?
I knew I had cancer before I was diagnosed. I just had a sinking feeling. So I started blaming random things on my cancer to cope and to ready myself to be able to hear “You have cancer” and to say “I have cancer”. It helped. Next step was to create a website to let others do the same thing. Its an awareness thing, its an unwiring of a once taboo subject. Taboo kills as much as cancer does. There’s no place for it. Openness and honesty and facing things head on wins.
What impact has #blamedrewscancer, and the people who respond to it had on you?
It’s the only reason why I can respond to this email without crying. I have NEVER said or asked “Why” or “Why me?” And I never will. The people who support me and what our team is doing is the reason why. The calls, the emails, the tweets. It’s amazing.
What is the most surprising thing that’s come out of it?
People have told me that they went to the doctor to get lumps checked out because of how I found out about my Hodgkins Lymphoma. That was surprising, and very powerful. People understand that fear is dangerous.
What social media lessons have you learned that you could share?
Share. Share often, share as much as you’re comfortable with. Real connections come out of real communications. If you’re fake, and you tweet or blog about stuff that is just to get your career further…you have lost. And you will continue to lose until you’re real.
If a non-profit or advocacy group came to you about the best way to get their message out there what would you recommend?
Set yourself up everywhere you can be. There’s no site that doesn’t have a group of people who are willing to support you or are interested in spreading the word. It’s not about numbers. It’s about people. People are quality, numbers mean nothing.
Drew Olanoff will be presenting “My Cancer is Social” at Gnomedex 9.0. – He’ll discuss foundations usage of social media, tools, and platforms to spread the word TO PEOPLE about what they’re passionate about and what they’re doing. Widgets, Facebook Cause pages, and original ideas such as #BlameDrewsCancer utilizing the powerful Twitter platform.
You can find Drew at http://www.drewolanoff.com and http://www.blamedrewscancer.com or on Twitter or Facebook.
SMC is excited to be a Gnomedex 9.0 partner and SMC members get a 10% discount!!
Here’s where you register: http://gnomedex.eventbrite.com/?discount=smcseattle10
