AskEllyn: AI Companion for Breast Cancer Support

Client: Lyndall Project
Industry: Healthcare & Patient Support
Product: AI for Breast Cancer Support

Overview

The Lyndall Project partnered with Gambit to create a safer and more supportive way for people to access lived experience during the breast cancer journey. While online communities can be helpful, they can also be overwhelming, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate, especially when patients are at different stages of diagnosis and treatment.

Together, we built AskEllyn, a conversational AI companion grounded in the lived experience of breast cancer survivor Ellyn Winters-Robinson.

As the world’s first AI companion for breast cancer support, AskEllyn provides multilingual, non-medical support for patients and families, and is designed solely for patient-side support while intentionally avoiding medical advice.

Challenge

Support groups are often where patients turn first, but not every space is safe or effective. People can struggle to find guidance that fits their exact situation, and they may be exposed to advice that is not appropriate for their diagnosis or stage of treatment. Many patients also need reassurance in private moments, including late at night, when traditional support systems are not available.

The Lyndall Project wanted a way for patients and caregivers to access compassionate, judgment-free support on demand, without crossing into medical guidance.

Solution

Gambit brought Ellyn’s book, Flat Please Hold the Shame, to life as AskEllyn, an AI-powered conversational assistant designed to offer empathetic, lived-experience support at any time. The goal was not to replace clinical care, but to help patients feel less alone and more confident as they navigate a life-changing diagnosis.

AskEllyn was intentionally designed to stay on the patient side of the journey. It avoids medical advice and instead focuses on emotional validation, supportive reflection, and practical lived-experience guidance that helps patients self-advocate and feel understood.

Results

AskEllyn reaches a global audience through conversations in 40+ languages across 100+ countries. This makes support accessible regardless of where someone lives or what language they speak.

The broader healthcare ecosystem recognizes this impact. Cigna Healthcare now features AskEllyn as a resource on its Breast Cancer Community to help more people navigate their journey. Similarly, GE Healthcare included the platform on a World Cancer Day panel to highlight its role in patient support.

Research is also underway. Brock University is currently leading a Canadian Cancer Society-funded research project to study how AI companions can support patients and caregivers at scale.

Most importantly, the platform helps in moments that are hard to prepare for. One user shared that she felt terrified to remove her bandages after leaving the hospital. In the middle of the night, she turned to AskEllyn and found the comfort she needed most.

AI that works today, not someday. AskEllyn is just one example. Take a look at what else we’ve built.