Transcend Foundation
📈 430% increase in content views
👥 40% growth in social media followers
💸 500,000% increase in donations from the previous year
The Transcend Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to providing life-changing, highly effective hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to veterans and first responders.
Problem: Their mission was widely misunderstood. With limited digital visibility and a complex, often stigmatized topic to communicate, they needed a complete digital strategy overhaul, one that could build trust, educate, and inspire action.
How might we create a digital presence that educates, builds trust, and increases engagement with veterans and first responders unfamiliar with or skeptical about HRT?
Research Approach:
In-depth Interviews with veterans and first responders revealed deep-rooted skepticism, fear of judgment, and prior negative medical experiences.
Focus Groups illuminated a general confusion around HRT and how it differed from conventional treatments.
Observations of user behavior on social media and the existing website highlighted unclear navigation and vague language.
Case Studies on individual users offered insight into how trauma-informed design could foster connection and trust.
"They (The VA) gave me some runaround that I had to go see a specialist and 5 other people in order to get a yes or no answer"
"I was at the top of the bottom of the range for my age, so they can't prescribe {anything}"
"I felt I had let everybody down and I was putting it all on myself"
"My body was never feeling right"
Research Findings:
Fear of being dismissed or overmedicated
Anxiety around paying out-of-pocket for treatments they don’t fully understand
A desire for community, shared experiences, and feeling seen
Lack of plain-language explanations of HRT
No clear narrative about the Foundation’s impact
Website content was too technical or vague
Social media lacked emotional resonance and human connection
Design & Content Solutions:
Simplified Language explaining HRT and its benefits
Visual storytelling: Integrated veteran case studies and testimonials
Clear CTAs leading to donation and application pages
Accessible design with calm, grounded colors and intuitive navigation
Veteran testimonials and behind-the-scenes narratives humanized the Foundation
Emotionally resonant content, including short reels and quote cards
Tailor captions and thumbnails to spark engagement and shareability
Create safe comment spaces to invite peer-to-peer support and dialogue
