Helping Survivors Make a Difference Through Advocacy
A core component of our Rise To Action conferences is an advocacy session that aims to empower young adult survivors to make a difference by telling their story to people in power. We have adapted this "advocacy bootcamp" to fit a variety of formats and audiences, and we are taking it on the road!
In 2009, our advocacy roadshow traveled to Camp Mak-a-Dream in Montana and a survivorship conference in Dallas. In April 2010, our Survivors' Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. was a huge success for the third year in a row!
The interactive session aims to engage and challenge survivors around the central question: "What does advocacy mean to me?" We explore why survivors should get involved with cancer advocacy and how to maximize the success of those efforts through effective messaging. Our presentation familiarizes survivors with the federal legislative and appropriations process, as well as current cancer advocacy issues, with the objective of helping survivors brainstorm specific projects they can take back to their hometowns and build upon.
From a small group of survivors in Montana to a large group fanning out across Congressional offices on Capitol Hill, the goals are the same: educating, connecting, empowering.
If you are interested in bringing Rise To The Challenge to your city or attending an upcoming workshop, please contact Lori at lsalley@childrenscause.org.
