Advocacy is not for everyone. I've grown into a person for whom cancer was a part of my life, not the whole of it. It is our collective intelligence that will push the snail a little faster. Permission is granted to print and distribute this excerpt for noncommercial use as long as the above source is included. The information in this article is meant to educate and should not be used as an alternative for professional medical care.
Cancer is a life-transforming experience.
No matter what your education, experience, or time restrictions, there is much that can be done for others if you choose to advocate. Survivors and their families have the potential to effect individual, institutional, or social change. Advocacy means using this power so that you or other survivors get what you need to live the healthiest life possible. Sometimes this consists of educating health professionals, politicians, or society at large. It can take a little time or become a focal point of your life.