Why Advocate?
Change doesn't just happen. Whether it's a bill to direct the way the nation finances and regulates cancer care, or a patient protocol that needs updating, change is driven by people and organizations that are committed to making a difference and who help to persuade others. Advocacy has already changed the way others see and speak about people with cancer: We were once routinely described as "victims" — in newspapers, TV shows, sermons, and popular parlance — until the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) was founded in 1986 with the goal of changing the accepted terminology to "survivors." We recognized that to advocate for everyone affected by cancer, at any point on the spectrum from diagnosis to end of life, we needed to put forward a more accurate and purposeful definition. "Survivors" is now the norm.
When it comes to speaking about cancer, nobody does it better than those who have been there. If policymakers are going to take action to preserve and expand access to quality cancer care, they need to hear directly from people with cancer and their supporters. By taking action, you can help assure that a friend, a co-worker, a loved one or even you have access to high-quality cancer care if and when it's needed most. See how survivors spoken up.
Advocacy Rules of Engagement
Rule 1
Don't be intimidated. Advocating for a cause is as American as baseball and apple pie. It's how we get important laws passed in this country. It's how we change society.
Rule 2
Learn the issues. NCCS will provide you with updates on cancer care issues, a sound understanding of the issues and the tools to engage in advocating for them. Contact NCCS if you need help with a letter, a call to a legislator, or just clarification on a particular issue.
Rule 3
Smile, breathe, and relax. Although it seems like an awesome task to communicate with policymakers, you can do this. Remember, amateurs built the Ark; professionals built the Titanic.
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