The Scoop: Prescription4Love.com is a niche dating site on a heartfelt mission to support singles with sensitive health conditions. Since 2004, the site has maintained a friendly network of online daters who can understand each other’s special situations and struggles. The dating site empowers members to be open about their medical conditions by listing it on their profiles. Now singles with autism, epilepsy, lupus, an STD, and 40 other illnesses can come out of the closet and meet new friends and date prospects without stressing about when to tell someone they like that they’re sick. Thanks to its compassionate premise, Prescription4Love has become a go-to dating resource for individuals who don’t want their health conditions to hold them back in love and life.
People decide to create dating sites for many different reasons. Some want to make money, some want to make a point, and some want to make a difference. Ricky Durham falls squarely in the latter category. His idea for a niche dating site didn’t spring from ambition, boredom, or frustration — it came from a brother’s love.
Ricky Durham launched Prescription4Love in 2004.
Ricky’s brother, James Keith Durham, suffered from Crohn’s Disease and struggled to date because of his condition. Not only was James severely underweight, but he also had a colostomy bag, a small pouch attached to the stomach to collect waste directly from the intestines. How do you bring that up to a date? James struggled to navigate this sensitive subject while dating, and Ricky wanted to help.
Ricky realized James needed a place where he could meet people who could understand what he was going through. He needed a dating site that catered to people with sensitive health issues. Ricky started developing Prescription4Love in 2004. Sadly, his brother passed away before the site went live, but Ricky continued the work in his brother’s memory.
Originally, Prescription4Love listed 11 special health conditions, including Crohn’s Disease, that members could disclose on their profiles. Today, the dating site has over 40 options available, and members can check as many as apply to them. No need to dance around the subject or treat it like a dirty secret. Singles on this site can relate to each other’s challenges because they have been through something similar. That gives them a strong foundation to build a relationship on, and it’s also helpful for singles just to know they’re not alone.
For nearly 15 years, Prescription4Love has been a tremendously positive influence on the online dating scene, and it is primed to continue building on that legacy for years to come.
“It was an idea created for my brother and similar people with specific health conditions who wanted to improve their lives through friendship or love,” Ricky said.
A Niche Dating Site for Singles With Medical Conditions
Prescription4Love has all the bells and whistles of a traditional dating site, but its emphasis on honesty, openness, and acceptance makes it stand out in the industry. The niche dating site promotes the idea that being sick isn’t anything to be ashamed of, and an illness shouldn’t stop someone from finding friendship and love in their lives. This message resonates with individuals who have sensitive and chronic medical conditions.
Prescription4Love is a free dating site with a straightforward design, easy search tools, and niche audience.
By fostering a dating environment filled with compassion, Prescription4Love has supported thousands of singles facing difficult times and trying circumstances.
Members with all sorts of diagnoses can find a supportive community here. The dating site has welcomed cancer survivors, recovering alcoholics, diabetics, singles with STDs, and other members with special conditions, which they may not feel comfortable disclosing to the masses on a general dating site or app. These singles may fear judgment on other platforms, but not on Prescription4Love
This dating site engenders trust because of its niche audience. Prescription4Love members can relate to one another in meaningful ways and offer advice or comfort when necessary. The dating site gives people a friendly atmosphere where they can talk about their experiences and make new friends.
According to the site, “Another advantage of a dating site and friendship service like Prescription4Love is the development of a support group of like-minded people. Not only can you help yourself, but you can also help others understand the situation.”
New Upgrades on the Horizon to Support Singles
One of Prescription4Love’s biggest pluses — the fact that it has been around so long — is also one of its major challenges. The dating site has been around for over a decade, and its design reflects that. The old-school look speaks to its longstanding authority in the dating niche. But it could definitely use a polish to make it more user-friendly.
Ricky said he knows the dating site is due for an update, and he has made that his top priority going forward. He told us he’s begun reaching out to a few software companies that can help him upgrade his site and give it a sleek and modern design. The mission and message will always remain the same, though.
“The principle behind the site is that no matter the disorder, everyone with a special condition understands imperfection — and shares a need for love and acceptance.” — Newsweek in a Prescription4Love review
The dating site’s upgrade is the only big plan in the works right now. Prescription4Love isn’t out to reinvent the wheel or revolutionize the way online daters meet — Ricky just wants to make it easier for people to meet, make friends, and build relationships.
Prescription4Love has fostered a thriving community of online daters for over a decade, and any updates to the site will only build on that success record.
Prescription4Love Has a Healthy Attitude on Sensitive Issues
Ricky founded Prescription4Love in honor of his brother James. He wanted the dating site to be a helpful resource for singles struggling with Crohn’s disease and other similarly serious issues. Today, Prescription4Love has cured the dating woes of many singles living with a chronic physical or mental illness.
Singles can be open about their experiences and challenges on Prescription4Love. The niche dating site has become more than just a place to meet people and get a date. It has grown into a community where singles with sensitive health issues can find solidarity, friendship, and support. In the coming year, Prescription4Love will get a new design that will encourage online daters of all stripes to sign up and start mingling.
“Dating with a health condition or STD can be awkward, especially when it comes time to divulge your situation,” Ricky said, “so an online service such as Prescription4Love could be just the outlet for you.”
