Advocacy: the cornerstone of cancer survivorship.

PURPOSE: This article describes a cancer-related advocacy skill set that can be acquired through a learning process. OVERVIEW: Cancer survivorship is a process rather than a stage or time point, and it involves a continuum of events from diagnosis onward. There exists little consensus about what underlying processes explain different levels of long term functioning, but skills necessary for positive adaptation to cancer have been identified from both the professional literature and from the rich experiences of cancer survivors. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare practitioners need to be more creative and assertive in fostering consumer empowerment and should incorporate advocacy training into care plans. Strategies that emphasize personal competency and increase self-advocacy capabilities enable patients to make the best possible decisions for themselves regarding their cancer care. In addition, oncology practitioners must become informed advocacy partners with their patients in the public debate about healthcare and cancer care delivery.