Teen's new app brings patients receiving infusions together

One day each month, Luke Wachowiak, 17, spends a day getting an infusion for his rare autoimmune disease. The hours stretch long with each treatment keeping him in a chair for about five hours.

He had the first treatments at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, which meant he had to miss a day of school each month. Now he does his infusions from home and schedules them for the weekend, but that means he misses a day of usual high school activities.

“I can’t get much done because I get tired after the first medication,” he said. “So I can’t do much quality work, so I just scroll on my phone or try to watch something on TV.”

Luke was diagnosed with dermatomyositis and rheumatoid arthritis. The autoimmune conditions cause joint pain and rashes on his face, elbows, and hands. After trying different medications for about a year, he finally found one that helps: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. 

While the treatments have helped reduce the symptoms, the long infusion sessions left him feeling isolated.

“I was bored and kind of sick of my infusions because I had to miss out on stuff with my friends,” Luke said. “None of them have treatments they have to do.”

Then he had an idea.

“I figured other people are probably out there in the same boat and it would be really cool to connect with them and make infusions easier,” Luke said.

Together with his friend Logan, Luke began developing an app called Together IV – a virtual space where people receiving infusions could connect in real time. The pair hope to launch their app in October.

The app features a “live lobby,” where users can see others who are currently in treatment. Instead of video or audio, participants join through avatars, profile photos, and timers showing how long they have left in their infusion. From there, they can chat, send messages, and play games together, like Connect 4, Battleship, and trivia.

“It’s meant to create community among patients who understand what it’s like to go through this treatment,” Luke said. “It brings together people across the country because none of my friends are doing the same thing, but there are teenagers like me across the country who are. The main purpose is to make infusions more fun and easier to get through because you’re doing it with other people.”

The idea has already gained traction. More than 80 people have joined a waitlist for early access.

“It’s been a great experience,” Luke said. “I used to dread infusions. Now I’m kind of excited, because I know I’m building something that could make it better not just for me, but for other patients too.”

If you’re interested in learning more or joining the waitlist, visit TogetherIV.com