Twin Cities-based CaringBridge the Subject
of Doonesbury Comic Strip

The story line features character B.D. who lost a leg due to an injury sustained in Iraq. The first CaringBridge related strip ran Saturday, May 22. The other strips were published Monday and Tuesday in 1,400 newspapers.

"We are so pleased that Garry Trudeau has focused on CaringBridge; it proves that CaringBridge is part of our pop culture, used by millions of people to stay connected during a crisis," said Founder and Executive Director Sona Mehring.

Trudeau learned about CaringBridge through the Cartoon Art Association as part of a special program to promote not-for-profit organizations that are providing a meaningful service. "I'm glad CaringBridge made an impression. It is a free service that could benefit anyone during a challenging time," Mehring added.

CaringBridge is a free, easy-to-use Internet service developed to keep loved ones informed during important life events, including medical treatment, childbirth, rehabilitation and end-of-life care.

To date nearly 16,000 personalized Web sites have been created, resulting in more than 66 million visits and two million guestbook entries.

"CaringBridge is a blessing," one family member says. "We could easily update family without having to field too many phone calls and questions during an exhausting time in our lives. And each day, we could read what the Web page visitors had posted. Their messages of support and encouragement lifted us up at a difficult time."

CaringBridge Founder and Executive Director Sona Mehring says the service makes a profound connection with users and visitors. "CaringBridge takes cold, impersonal technology and uses it to serve a higher purpose in a most intimate and powerful way, she said. "I believe the internet has a higher calling - helping bring people together at important times, facilitating love and support that is meaningful for all involved, wherever they may be," Mehring added.

Families easily create a secure CaringBridge web page and sign-in at any time to post journal entries and photographs for their caring community. The service allows the family to focus their energies on the loved one who requires healing. Visitors who are provided the Web page address and password, can read updates and post their messages of support and encouragement.

The CaringBridge community includes families in all 50 states and many countries worldwide. Approximately 70 percent of the websites are created for sick or injured children and newborns.

While CaringBridge is a remarkable word-of-mouth grassroots phenomenon, many people are still unaware of the free service. Medical patients - children and adults receiving treatment for cancer, patients in rehabilitation, organ transplant recipients, and those facing end-of-life situations - could all benefit from a CaringBridge Web page.

This service is possible due to the generous donations from the CaringBridge community of supporters. Contributions are vital to carrying out our mission of serving a worldwide community in helping to bring comfort, joy and support to families during critical situations," said Mehring. CaringBridge's internet service is donated as an in-kind gift from Onvoy, a full-service telecommunications provider that offers network services, voice, videoconferencing, data and Internet solutions to wholesale and retail market segments. Onvoy is a privately-held corporation with headquarters in Minneapolis, MN.

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Media Advisory: To schedule an interview with CaringBridge
Founder and Executive Director Sona Mehring, please call John Wingate at 612-782-8551. We can also put you in touch
with families who use CaringBridge.

The inspiration for CaringBridge came from a real life experience. When Sona Mehring's friend developed a life-threatening condition and prematurely delivered her baby during the 24th week of pregnancy, Sona created a Web site to keep family and friends connected and informed. Although baby Brighid later died, she inspired a remarkable grassroots phenomenon that has extended love, encouragement, and hope around the world.