Fight CRC Published for Work Investigating Research Advocacy

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Fight CRC News
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Recently, Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) published an article “The Current Landscape of Research Advocacy and Education for Patients with Colorectal Care” in the Journal Current Treatment Options in Oncology, which investigates the most effective approaches for creating and implementing successful research advocacy training. This article also discusses understanding best practices for evaluating advocates’ contributions to the field and explores barriers to research advocacy, as well as opportunities to improve the advocates role in research.

Why is this important?

It’s necessary for patients to be trained colorectal cancer research advocates so that they become the most educated patient voice at the research table. Their lived experiences, combined with medical and academic experiences, provides tremendous value and potential as together we make progress on the Path to a Cure for colorectal cancer. 

Research advocates provide a voice, face, and real lived experience, which engages medical professionals in a unique collaboration where they factor in the patient voices and lived experience with their academic and medical experience. It will take all of us working together to make the research advancements we need for a disease that no one wants to talk about. 

What are the main takeaways from the publication? 

The article suggests a few actions to take as we work with research advocates. Medical professionals need to:

  • Understand the level of detail that patients wish to receive about their diagnosis, and we need to explain so the patient doesn’t get lost in medical terms.
  • Be inclusive and diverse because when research advocates hail from different backgrounds and socioeconomic situations, we can address inequities and disparities, which in turn can help us increase clinical trial enrollment numbers and reach those who are seeking different or innovative treatment options.
  • Become informed by the research advocates, so that we can prioritize the research questions we need to be asking.
  • Increase the transparency of research, which will inform research advocates as we take strides forward in our work.
  • Identify meaningful patient outcomes so research advocates can see there is hope and progress.

You can learn more about how research advocacy can inform and impact research in such a positive way. Be sure to learn more about Fight CRC’s RATS program here.

Together, we are making real progress on the Path to a Cure.