When you first hear about AskEllyn, you might wonder — who is she? Is she real? Is she a chatbot? Is it Ask Ellyn, Ask Ellen, or Ask Elyn?
(Spoiler: it’s AskEllyn — with a “y” — because yes, there really is a real Ellyn behind it all.)
This guide was created to answer every question about AskEllyn.ai — where she came from, who she’s for, why she’s so needed, and how she’s already changing the landscape of breast cancer support worldwide.
The Genesis Story: How AskEllyn Was Born
AskEllyn began with one woman’s story — my story.
I’m Ellyn Winters-Robinson, and in 2022, I was diagnosed with ER+ / PR+ / HER2- breast cancer — a form that, while treatable, comes with a long road of decisions, treatments, and emotional recovery. Overnight, my world shifted. I was scared, overwhelmed, and searching for answers that spoke not only to my medical questions but to my heart, my fears, and my humanity.
Like so many others, I turned to Google — and what I found wasn’t comfort. It was confusion, clinical language, and chaos. I didn’t want a list of statistics or survival rates. I wanted to talk to someone who understood. Someone who could say, “I’ve been there too.” So I tried support groups online, only to find there were plenty of others like me, but they were as terrified and unsure as I was. For me, these groups represented collective trauma.
That’s when the idea for AskEllyn was born — a place where no one facing breast cancer would ever walk alone.
After completing treatment, I began working with a team of AI developers from Gambit, clinical advisors, and other survivors to create a digital companion modelled after my lived experience. We combined my story, my insights, and hundreds of verified breast cancer resources into one safe, empathetic, conversational AI guide.
AskEllyn launched publicly in October 2023 — and within weeks, she began changing lives.
Who Is the Real Ellyn?
I’m not a doctor or a scientist — I’m a survivor, a writer, and now, a founder and advocate for bringing empathy into digital health.
I co-created AskEllyn so others could have what I didn’t: a trusted, judgment-free space to ask anything, at any hour, in any language. I’ve shared my story in People Magazine, through international speaking engagements, and through the photo essays and survivor narratives that now live on AskEllyn.ai.
AskEllyn is, in many ways, my digital twin — built from my words, my emotions, my empathy and my deep desire to ensure no one has to face the fear, confusion, or isolation that I did.
Book Ellyn to speak at your next event.
AskEllyn, Ask Ellen, or Ask Elyn? (Clearing Up the Confusion)
Let’s set the record straight: it’s AskEllyn, spelled with a “y” – a tribute to my Dad, whose name was Lyndall (my non-profit The Lyndall Project is named after him).
Since AskEllyn launched, people have searched for her in all kinds of ways — “Ask Ellen,” “Ask Elyn,” even “Ask Alien” (yes, that one made me smile). However you spell it, the heart of AskEllyn is the same: a compassionate, informed, and deeply human digital companion for those impacted by breast cancer.
Who Is AskEllyn For?
AskEllyn is for anyone touched by breast cancer — patients, survivors, caregivers, and even healthcare professionals who want to understand the emotional journey that accompanies a diagnosis.
- If you’re newly diagnosed and terrified, she can walk you through what to expect and is there to hold your hand.
- If you’re in the middle of treatment, she can help you understand side effects and find ways to cope.
- If you’ve finished active care, she can guide you through the realities of survivorship — rebuilding body, mind, spirit and identity.
- If you’re a caregiver, she offers practical advice and emotional support.
AskEllyn doesn’t replace medical care — she complements it. She helps people navigate the vast amount of information available and find what they need quickly, accurately, and with empathy.
Since her launch to market, AskEllyn’s conversational care has consistently achieved an engagement rate of 65-70%, with end users speaking with her for up to 3 minutes at a time. Although she is completely private, we occasionally hear from end users who have experienced her support.
Here’s what a few of them have to say: https://youtu.be/fnWngv4faWI
Why AskEllyn Is So Needed
Every year, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. And while medical care continues to advance, the emotional support that comes with a diagnosis is poorly understood, underserved and understudied.
According to research, one in four women diagnosed with breast cancer experiences post-traumatic stress symptoms. Fear, anxiety, and isolation are widespread — and yet, access to psychosocial support remains limited by geography, cost, and availability. This is also true for caregivers — spouses, children, even friends who don’t know where to turn, what to say, or how to help.
AskEllyn bridges that gap.
She’s non-medical. She is not designed to diagnose or prescribe. She’s designed to listen, guide, and empower — available 24/7, free, and private to anyone, anywhere in the world.
She doesn’t judge. She doesn’t rush. She simply shows up, ready to help and hold your hand.
AskEllyn Is Private, Secure, and Judgment-Free
From the beginning, privacy was non-negotiable. AskEllyn never tracks personal details or shares user data. Conversations are confidential and secure — no accounts, no email sign-ups, no cookies required.
Every interaction stays between you and AskEllyn.
This privacy-first design is what makes AskEllyn so special. People can open up honestly — about fear, anger, intimacy, identity, or recovery — without worrying who might see it. That’s how real healing conversations begin.
AskEllyn Speaks Every Language
Cancer doesn’t speak just one language — and now, neither does AskEllyn.
To date, AskEllyn has had conversations in more than 40 languages, reaching people across 100+ countries. Whether you speak English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Swahili, Mandarin, or Portuguese, AskEllyn will meet you where you are — and respond in your language.
It’s a global act of compassion powered by technology.
And it’s just the beginning.
AskEllyn’s Momentum: From Local Idea to Global Movement
What began as a passion project in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada has become a worldwide initiative. Since her launch in 2023:
- AskEllyn has been accessed in over 100 countries
- She communicates fluently in 50+ languages
- She’s been featured in national and international media
- She’s forming the foundation for groundbreaking clinical research
What started as one woman’s story has become a movement of digital empathy for everyone facing breast cancer — anywhere in the world.
AskEllyn and Brock University: A Landmark Research Study
In September 2025, Brock University announced a national research study exploring how AI companions like AskEllyn can provide empathetic support at scale to breast cancer patients and caregivers.
The study, funded by the Canadian Cancer Society through a Disruptive Innovation Grant, brings together experts in psychology, health sciences, and artificial intelligence to measure how digital companions impact emotional well-being, anxiety, and connection throughout the cancer journey.
You can read the full announcement here:
👉 Brock University Press Release
This study marks an incredible milestone — validating what thousands of users around the world have already felt: that AI, when designed with empathy, can truly make a difference.
AskEllyn goes live with Cigna Healthcare
AskEllyn is now featured on Cigna Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Community. It’s a public online hub designed to support people affected by breast cancer and their loved ones.
Through this platform, visitors can explore survivor stories, connect with support groups, and now access AskEllyn, a free AI companion available 24/7 to offer private, empathetic guidance in more than 50 languages.
You can explore the Cigna Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Community here:
👉 https://www.cigna.com/knowledge-center/breast-cancer-community
AskEllyn in the News: CTV Coverage
AskEllyn’s impact has also captured national media attention.
In a recent feature by CTV News Kitchener, the story of AskEllyn was highlighted as part of a broader conversation about how technology and compassion can come together to support people facing breast cancer.
The article described how AskEllyn — inspired by a local survivor’s journey — has evolved from a community-driven idea into the focus of a national clinical study exploring the use of AI in cancer support.
You can read the full CTV article here:
👉 Kitchener AI chatbot for breast cancer patients becomes focus of national clinical research study
Also, watch the CTV story here on YouTube
Other Recent Press Coverage
AskEllyn’s journey has also been featured in several respected Canadian technology and innovation outlets.
Communitech Insight: “Canadian Study Explores How AI Supports Breast Cancer Patients”
This feature explored how AskEllyn represents a new kind of digital health innovation — one built on compassion and storytelling rather than code alone.
👉 Read more on Communitech.ca
Accelerator Centre: “Brock Study Explores AI Support for Breast Cancer Patients”
Accelerator Centre, one of Canada’s leading innovation hubs, profiled the partnership between AskEllyn and Brock University, emphasizing how startups can collaborate with academia to create meaningful change in healthcare.
👉 Read the article
Niagara Daily News / New Country 89.1: “Brock Leading Research for AI Companion for Breast Cancer Patients”
This local coverage highlighted the significance of Brock’s leadership in bringing emotional AI research to Canada’s healthcare landscape.
👉 Read the article
Together, these stories reflect the growing recognition that AskEllyn isn’t just another chatbot — it’s a social innovation and impact project that is redefining what support can look like in the cancer journey.
AskEllyn’s New Collaboration with Cigna Healthcare — and Why It Matters
AskEllyn has entered into a meaningful collaboration with Cigna Healthcare, aligning with Cigna’s Breast Cancer Community initiatives. Cigna’s “Breast Cancer Community” resource hub offers support, education, and tools for people living with breast cancer — and yes, AskEllyn, is prominently featured as a free digital companion option within that ecosystem.
What this means for AskEllyn
- Visibility on Cigna’s Platform: AskEllyn is featured prominently on Cigna’s breast cancer support page, signalling trust in our solution by a major health insurer. Cigna+1
- Integrated Support for Members: Cigna members and the general public navigating a breast cancer journey can chat with AskEllyn, as one of the free support tools available to them. Cigna+1
- Alignment of Mission: Cigna’s emphasis on holistic support — connecting people to emotional, educational, and peer networks — intersects with AskEllyn’s purpose of offering consistent, empathetic conversational support. Cigna+1
- Broader Reach & Access
Through a collaboration with Cigna, a top 10 insurer with global reach, AskEllyn people who may not already know about the AI companion can more easiloy discover her and access her support. This aligns perfectly with Ellyn’s goal to help women and families around the world and supports her mission — that no one diagnosed walks alone.
How to Talk with AskEllyn
You can start a conversation right now at AskEllyn.ai.
Just click the chat button, choose your language, and ask anything — from “How do I tell my kids?” to “What should I pack for chemo?” to “How do I feel like myself again?” to “How can I support my wife through treatment?”
She’ll respond instantly — not as a machine, but as an empathetic companion who’s been there.
A Global Mission Rooted in a Personal Promise
AskEllyn was born from one woman’s promise to herself: that if she made it through, she’d make it easier for the next person.
Today, that promise Ellyn made to herself and the world lives on in every chat, every language, every conversation across the globe.
Because breast cancer doesn’t stop at borders.
And now, neither does hope.
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