What is research advocacy?
Research advocacy focuses on supporting, highlighting, and disseminating research. This can be done in many ways. Research advocacy can include attending conferences to speak on your experience as a survivor/patient or gather the latest information to share with your community, raising awareness about the lack of funding for research, raising money to fund research, or getting directly involved in current and ongoing research projects.
Use Your Power
Survivors offer unique and indispensable perspectives to research, providing scientists with information about what’s most important to patients, and encouraging scientists to persevere in the face of the myriad of barriers.
Help Change the Statistics
Don’t let another 30 years pass without significant change.
Meet our Research Advocates!
Dawn Holmberg
Ovarian cancer survivor Dawn Holmberg attended the Ovarian Cancer Midwest Focus Conference in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Here's what she had to say:
Anna Hedden and Shianne Lee learned about ovarian cancer research and interacted with scientists to facilitate collaboration at the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Academy Retreat and the American Association of Cancer Research Special Conference in Cancer Research: Ovarian Cancer
Advocate Shianne Lee, scientist Dr. Kristin Anderson, advocate Anna Hedden
Susun Livingston and Deborah Binder at the annual conference of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)!
To champion the POWER of scientist/survivor collaboration, we sent two ovarian cancer research advocates to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, April 14-19, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. While there, the advocates participated in the Scientist-Survivor Program (SSP), learning about cancer research and interacting with scientists, doctors, health professionals, and other advocates.
You can read more about the AACR Scientist-Survivor Program here:
ABOVE: Deborah Binder and Susun Lindley Livingston present posters at AACR in April 2023.
BELOW: The posters explaining the benefits of scientist/survivor collaboration.
Check out our presentation on research advocacy with ovarian cancer researcher Dr. Kristin Anderson and ovarian cancer survivor/research advocate Annie Ellis!
The Powell-Drescher Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation is incredibly honored that the attendance of one of our research advocates was sponsored in part by the Andy Hill CARE Fund – Washington’s Cancer Research Endowment.
Other Ways to Advocate in Research:
The Department of Defense (DOD) Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) integrates patients, survivors, family members and/or care takers (collectively called “consumers”) into the scientific review process in order to enrich the review with personal perspective, passion, and a sense of urgency that ensures the human dimension is incorporated in the research focus.
Read about Sachia's experience as a Consumer Reviewer with the Department of Defense (DOD) Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP):
Read more about the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program and how to apply to be a Consumer Reviewer:
The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) Advocate Leader Program trains advocates to speak up in their communities and represent the cause with their elected officials. You can read more about this program and how to apply here: