Dr Ian Lipkin's $1.27m gut microbiome study - crowdfunding campaign - news and updates

[geraldt52]

Well, that's an excellent idea, and as it happens, we do have such a handout for exactly that purpose...
http://www.microbediscovery.org/download-center/

I think we haven't publicised this yet, because we're finalising a second design.
One will be a poster and one is a flyer.

That's fantastic, Bob. I hadn't seen that, and don't remember it being publicized. I think it will have to be publicized on PR, Facebook, Twitter, etc., as soon as it's ready, because I'm thinking that once people visit the website they don't necessarily return to figure out "what's new".

I'm not scheduled to see my doctor for a bit, so I'll probably wait for the new design if it's coming. I really hope that everyone tries to get their doctors to participate, as that may be our only link to tens of thousands of patients who don't participate in forums or support groups...who suffer in silence, and might actually appreciate an opportunity to "do something".

 

[acer2000]

Maybe I'll post the flyer around my town - its a college campus after all. People are used to to getting solicited for studies. Although usually they are paying them for participation, not asking for funding.

 

[aimossy]

Here is my message for Face Book:

Dear Drs. Lipkin and Hornig, Columbia University and the Team. Thank you for taking my illness seriously. I have donated because I can trust your work and I know you will find information out about my illness in some way. I have tried so many things and nothing helps and I just hope there will be something found by good researchers that could lead to some actual treatment options for people in future. I also hope something may be found that will make doctors and research funders sit up and take us seriously.
Anonymous please.

 

[SB_1108]

I followed-up with some of my family (that I had previously asked to donate) for feedback. They said they had not donated because the donation process was too time-intensive (which is exactly the feedback I was expecting). Especially the process for matching gifts, but I believe that is more of an employer issue.

Also I just wanted to check-in on the idea of developing an emotion-inducing video?

 

[adreno]

I agree that the donation process need to be simplified. A Paypal based solution would be optimal. Why does Columbia feel that Paypal is insecure?

Securing Your PayPal Payments Standard Buttons

 

[Bob]

Today's Crowdfunding Update.

The latest crowdfunding total is:

$98,440 from 494 donations.

Thanku to everyone!

 

[geraldt52]

I followed-up with some of my family (that I had previously asked to donate) for feedback. They said they had not donated because the donation process was too time-intensive (which is exactly the feedback I was expecting).

I don't mean to pick on your family, SB_1108, because mine would be just as bad, but isn't it indicative of our plight that making a donation that might help a family member is deemed "too time-intensive"?

If Zappos had a shoe on sale that they liked there'd be time for that. People stand in line overnight to get a new iPhone, to replace their current generation iPhone, and have time for that. But few can consider what "time" must be like for us, and take the little time required to do something that might help. Sad, really.

 

[Sasha]

BTW, in case anyone is getting the impression that the donation process is arduous, it isn't. It only seems it in comparison to PayPal, which is super-quick. By any ordinary standards, it's easy and only takes a couple of minutes.

If you have brainfog, it can be a bit ploddy but healthy people should be able to do it quickly with no problem - and most of us will also manage fine. It helps that, when you've done it once, if you click in any field it will autofill it to save you typing it all again. I can do it in maybe 30 seconds now when I make my monthly donation.

 

[Esther12]

I've read that lots of sites find that tiny delays lose them customers... It might be especially so for charitable donations? Also though, it is only a minute to fill it out, so it might be less of a thing than we think.

 

[Sasha]

I've read that lots of sites find that tiny delays lose them customers... It might be especially so for charitable donations? Also though, it is only a minute to fill it out, so it might be less of a thing than we think.

I've read that at every click that's necessary, a site loses customers on the way to the checkout. I'd have thought the effect would be smaller for charitable donations but maybe not!

 

[Helen]

Good points @Sasha and @Esther12. I agree with you and think that also the text should be as simple as possible for foreign visitors and donators. If too complicated you get unsure and quit the site.

 

[Sasha]

Good points @Sasha and @Esther12. I agree with you and think that also the text should be as simple as possible for foreign visitors and donators. If too complicated you get unsure and quit the site.

Nevertheless, we've got to remember that the donation site is Columbia University's, not the CII's (Dr Lipkin's lab). It's not under anyone's control except Columbia's, so much as we all might like it to be a bit smoother, it is what it is.

 

[Bob]

In case it helps anyone here, there are a number of different ways to donate.
You can donate via credit/debit card, bank/wire transfer, and sending a check/cheque.

All details and instructions can be found here:
http://www.microbediscovery.org/donate/

And we have step-by-step instructions to use the Columbia donation website:
http://www.microbediscovery.org/donate/#DonateCard

We also have a visual step-by-step guide for making donations (that can be printed out) for those experiencing difficulties because of brain fog etc:
(click here for US letter size) (click here for UK A4 size)

We also have instructions in various languages, if you go to the various language versions of our website (see top-right to select languages):
http://www.microbediscovery.org/

 

[Bob]

Today's Crowdfunding Update.

The latest crowdfunding total is:

$98,530 from 495 donations

Thanku to everyone!

 

[SB_1108]

Another marketing idea…

Today on Reddit I saw that Dr. Stephen Morse (also works at Columbia University) was discussing the ebola virus. He was doing a AMA - Ask Me Anything: http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/2cbthq/science_ama_series_im_stephen_morse_a_professor/

I thought it might be helpful to do a Reddit AMA with Dr. Lipkin dedicated to answering questions about his ME/CFS research and any questions about the Microbe Discovery Project. Maybe it would help generate additional website traffic and potentially assist with fundraising efforts?

 

[Sean]

Get Reddit onside, and you have a potentially huge crowd of supporters.

 

[Esther12]

An AMA on ME/CFS research could be a bit tricky for anyone.

One minor thing I thought of - maybe a more positive receipt would help things spread out a bit more?

eg:

Thank-you for becoming one of the funders of the Lipkin ME/CFS research project - please help us further by forwarding this message on to anyone else you think might be willing to help move ME-CFS research forward. They can then easily make a donation by clicking HERE.

 

[Bob]

I thought it might be helpful to do a Reddit AMA with Dr. Lipkin dedicated to answering questions about his ME/CFS research and any questions about the Microbe Discovery Project. Maybe it would help generate additional website traffic and potentially assist with fundraising efforts?

Please watch this space for something very similar very soon

 

[adreno]

Also, when selling items on eBay, it's possible to donate a percentage to certain charities. It would be great if it was possible to support the project this way, too.

 

[Sasha]

Also, when selling items on eBay, it's possible to donate a percentage to certain charities. It would be great if it was possible to support the project this way, too.

I can see the attraction of that idea, but the Microbe Discovery Project isn't a charity - it's a project run by an institution within a university, and it's the entire university that's set up as a charity, so that's not something that would be possible for this project on Ebay (as I understand it).

I routinely sell stuff on Ebay and then just directly donate the money to ME projects or charities, regardless of whether the charity is set up on Ebay.