Advocacy is a process by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions based on the express mandate given to the individual or group by those for which they are advocating e.g. Save Your Skin Foundation advocates for melanoma and skin cancers of other types. Advocacy can include many activities including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or government relations and meetings. Lobbying (often by lobby groups) is a form of paid advocacy where a direct approach is made to legislators on an issue which plays a significant role in modern politics and is done on behalf of an organization that will receive direct financial benefit from the intervention. Paid lobbyists are required to register with the federal government.
Save Your Skin Foundation feels that any of the above forms of action are the method by which patients and their caregivers represent themselves directly or through their patient representatives. We are patient representatives – we represent the needs of patients across Canada, and we help patients to represent themselves.
