Patient Advocacy = Patient Representation

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.

Click the following for links to:

“WHO ARE YOU SURVIVING FOR” PROGRAM: WRITE TO YOUR MLA/MPP AND HEALTH MINISTER

We urge you to consider writing to your Federal Health Minister and we have included a template letter for you to download and use.

We also urge you to write to your local government representative to convey a similar request for support. We have also included this template letter, as well as links to each Province’s contacts, making it easy to find out who your local representatives are.

Government MPs, MLAs and Health Ministers by Province/Territory:

Nova Scotia:
New Brunswick:
Prince Edward Island:
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Quebec:
Ontario:
Manitoba:
Saskatchewan:
Alberta:
British Columbia:
Yukon
Northwest Territories:
Nunavut:
Canada:

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Making awareness and education available is crucial. Since 2006, the Foundation has worked to raise awareness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers focusing on education, prevention and the need for improved patient care.

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