Public Advocacy

 

Public Advocacy is the act of influencing decision makers and promoting changes to laws and other government policies to advance the mission of a particular organization or group of people.  You, as a lymphoma patient, can effectively advocate by sharing your story with decision makers.  Publically voted representatives want to hear from you.  You are in fact, your legislator’s de facto boss, and as a voter and taxpayer your opinion matters.  You don’t need to be an expert; you simply need to share your story and state your request.

Advocacy can include any action, verbal or written, which is intended to outline and describe a particular problem an individual is encountering.  It is intended to create the interest and action by another person to assist the person in resolving the specific problem. Therefore, a patient and or caregiver might be advocating to an individual (such as directly to a nurse or doctor), to an institution (such as a hospital, clinic, or agency), or to a company or organized body (such as an insurance company or a provincial/federal agency.)

 How you can advocate:

• Share your story be an ambassador for lymphoma and LFC.
• talk to your friends, neighbours, work colleagues, relatives and  government and tell them why lymphoma research is important.
• Participate in local events -
• attend LFC Education sessions and conferences.
• Participate in Lymphoma Awareness Day every September 15th.

Your MP, MPP and Minister of Health is accountable to you.

Click here for the contact information for your MPP.

You can also find your member of parliament using your postal code.

When you enter your postal code, your MP's name and contatc information will come up. No postage is required when addressing your letter to your MP at:

House of Commons
Ottawa ON  K0G 1A6

A letter, phone call, e-mail in person meeting can influence and will educate your elected official.

Click here to view a sample letter to submit to government requesting funding for these therapies.

• Explain why this issue is important to  you - share your personal story
• Clearly state what you want your elected official to do
• Keep your letter to one page
• Request follow-up

Let us know that you submitted a letter and we will follow up and keep you informed. info@lymphoma.ca

Here is a list of useful cancer advocacy websites:
Cancer Advocacy Coalition Canada  

Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control 

Canadian Cancer Advocacy Network (CCAN) 

Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

Canadian Cancer Drug Status

Chronic Disease Alliance of Canada (CDAC) 

Lymphoma Coalition 

Cancer Care Ontario