Your voice has influence. Starting a conversation around important issues in cancer is incredibly powerful.
Use your voice and your conversations to unify the people you speak with to create positive change. By speaking with each other, we can ignite action.
Getting started
What change
Be clear on what change you want to make. Maybe it’s important to have healthier lunches served at your school. Or you want your university to take greater leadership on cancer prevention. Perhaps you would like to see a greater focus on people-centred cancer care by your government. Or it matters to you that your employer adopts fairer policies on sick leave.
Information and knowledge
Seek out resources in your library, from your local cancer organisation and online about the issue you wish to change. Know your facts and the benefits and costs of any solutions you put forward.
The first step towards change is understanding.
Who do you want
Decision-makers within your school, workplace, city or government are people that can help make the change you seek. Understand who are the best individuals and groups to work with. Speaking to those who you care about the issues can also help you accelerate action.
Mobilise
Joining forces with others who believe in the same cause as you can help strengthen and multiply your advocacy efforts.
Seek opportunities to speak up
Create and seek out opportunities for your voice to be heard:
- Is there a local or university radio station or newspaper you can reach out to?
- Share your thoughts and information with your followers on social media and engage with others on the topic.
- School assemblies, lunch & learn at workplaces, and town halls are all opportunities to inform and educate your community.
- Join in public campaigns like World Cancer Day and other initiatives happening near you.
- Send a letter, message on social media, or email to your local government representative.
- Organise your own event, such as panel discussions and speaker series to further conversations around the issue.
- Collect commitment from supporters - such as petition signatures - to engage decision-makers.
- Post posters and flyers in classrooms, on campus, in the office kitchen, on the intranet and/or community and public noticeboards.
- Speak to your friends, families, work colleagues, neighbours and community to help them become supporters and advocates too.
Listening and
- There are many complexities and issues to any cause, including cancer. Listen to as many experts as you can on the topic.
- Create a dialogue where questions can be asked, where there is space for reflection and where there is openness to address and respond to concerns.
- If you don’t receive a response straight away, that’s okay. It just might mean you need to follow up again.
Share your story
Each cancer experience is unique, whether you're a patient, loved one, healthcare worker, or advocate. By sharing your perspective, you bring vital insight that can inform and inspire change. Together, our stories create a collective voice, strong enough to influence governments, shape policies, and build a future of compassionate, people-centered care. Sharing your story is an act of advocacy—not just for yourself, but for a future where everyone receives the care they need.