Your Story. Your Voice. Be Heard.
Cynthia Lockrey shares her insights and experience as a patient advocate and her patient advocacy work. Blog posts include topics such as patient storytelling, working with healthcare professionals and advocating for children.
Being a patient volunteer can be rewarding, but it can also be extremely frustrating. Especially when you feel you are filling a token seat versus being an equal partner. It’s time to go beyond token patient engagement and look at patient volunteers as valued and equal partners in transforming healthcare.
Read MoreIt has taken me years to learn I’m an empath, and that my response to human interactions is completely normal. This new knowledge has helped me in my advocacy work. But I’ve also had to learn how not to take on the emotions of those I’m helping.
Read MoreThere are many times when we can share our patient advocacy skills to help others navigate a difficult journey. By listening, helping people formulate their thoughts and being there as a sounding board, it can be the difference between struggling and feeling supported.
Read MoreWhat motivates patients to volunteer? It’s not prestige or money but the desire to either right a wrong or improve the healthcare system by seeing the world from a patient’s perspective. If we truly want to have a variety of patient voices heard, we need to do the work to ensure any barriers to participation are removed and we value their voices.
Read MoreAs parents, we often hold back from sharing when we are struggling or feeling overwhelmed. But guess what? You aren’t alone. By opening up, you can tap into the amazing support from other parents who have been where you are and have great insights to share.
Read MoreWith a new year comes new opportunities to connect with others, gain confidence and have your patient voice heard. Here are some tips to help you in the coming year.
Read MoreSharing your patient story can be overwhelming, invigorating and terrifying. Here are some tips to help ensure you share your story with confidence, and your audience is clear on the message you are wanting to convey.
Read MoreAs a patient or healthcare professional, there are many times you will be called upon to present. But what do you do if you are one of the 10% of people who have a fear of public speaking? Here are some tips to help you take control of that fear and have more confidence.
Read MoreThere is much debate online about whether or not patient should receive financial compensation for volunteering. Particularly when it comes to speaking at conferences or sitting on a healthcare committee, where everyone else in the room is being paid to attend. It’s about valuing and respecting patient voices, and the time they give (preparing, travelling, meeting).
Read MoreWhen people think of pregnant women they often have images of a woman with a round belly, big smile on her face and laying in a field of flowers. Okay, maybe that last part is only reserved for television commercials. However, this carefree, happy impression of pregnancy leaves many women feeling inadequate for being anything less than joyful.
Read MoreAmplifying patient voices to transform healthcare.
