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Advocacy - Newfoundland and Labrador
What is Advocacy?
If you are one of the 47 000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living with diabetes, or if you know someone affected by it, then you are aware of the challenges of living with this disease.
Some challenges arise because diabetes medication, education, and treatment programs are not affordable or obtainable. Others occur when people don’t know enough about diabetes and its complications.
Effective advocacy can help.
An advocate is a person who supports or speaks up to try to improve a situation. Advocacy is the act of providing verbal support or argument for a cause, policy or action. Everyone has the ability to advocate on their own behalf or on behalf of others.
We advocate because we see a perceived injustice or imbalance. When we advocate, we are asking for change. By speaking up and speaking out, we can raise awareness, change attitudes, expand policy and services, help reduce health care costs… and improve the quality of life for all Canadians affected by diabetes. By working together, we can send a strong and powerful message for change.
The Canadian Diabetes Association works to represent the interests of the more than 2 million Canadians living with diabetes to government, non-government associations, business and the public. We work with municipal, provincial, territorial and federal governments and policy-makers to ensure they recognize diabetes as one of the most significant public health issues in Canada today, and take action to address it. In Newfoundland and Labrador, our most recent focus has been on access to medications, supplies and devices, as well as access to the appropriate health care provider to enable people to be better positioned to manage their diabetes, to live healthy and productive lives, and reduce the risk of complications. As part of this focus, we are seeking an expansion to the existing provincial insulin pump program to include all people living with type 1 diabetes where medically prescribed. We are pleased to be working with the Chronic Disease Control Division of the Department of Health and Community Services in development of their Chronic Disease Framework for the province.
At a national level, our advocacy efforts are coordinated through the Office of Public Policy and Government Relations in Ottawa. This office supports the advocacy activities of the National Advocacy Council, the National Board of Directors, volunteer advocates and staff. The office also coordinates research activities and publishes reports and briefs that serve to guide and maintain the Association’s advocacy work. Volunteers and staff across the country recently joined forces in communities across Canada to convey a consistent message to candidates during the federal election campaign.