Announcing Rethink's Advocacy Program

I am one of the newest members on the scene at Rethink Breast Cancer as I recently came on board as the Senior Manager of Advocacy. In the last decade, Rethink Breast Cancer has become the “change maker” in the breast cancer community in Canada, bringing fresh, forward thinkinginitiatives and break-through awareness to the under-40 crowd.  With the addition of my new role, Rethink is taking its advocacy work  in the breast cancer field to the next level.  Our plan is to create an innovative advocacy program that will put young women at the center of driving change for all women.

Ashley MacIssac-Butler

When I was approached by Rethink to spearhead this program, I was both humbled and thrilled to continue my work in the breast cancer community. I have spent much of my career working in politics and I have found a real niche in the non-profit sector taking what I learned on the political side of things and educating and assisting organizations such as Rethink on how to affect change at the political level.

There is a real need for a bold and powerful voice in the breast cancer community in Canada calling for changes to improve the lives of breast cancer patients and survivors.Rethink is in an unique position to mobilize our extensive community to provide a strong voice on advocacy issues among stakeholders, government, and industry. We have a broad reach through our national support programs and have close working relationships that we can continue to build through advocacy.

The mission of Rethink’s advocacy program is to create a bold, youthful approach to making much needed changes to improve breast cancer services, treatment, education and research. In the past Rethink has contributed to small “a” advocacy by raising awareness of the unique needs and challenges of young patients. Now, we are ready to formalize our approach into advocacy on a much larger scale. 

Rethink’s Advocacy program will:

• Create models for advocating to healthcare professionals, politicians, and decision makers
• Build systems for proactive and reactive campaigns
• Create patient working groups to assist in the development and implementation of the program
• Create a linkage between Rethink and breast cancer affiliates that we will draw from to help shape our advocacy initiatives

Rethink Breast Cancer just undertook a National Needs Assessment which surveyed over 500 breast cancer patients and survivors in Canada. The results of this survey will allow me to identify current gaps in the system. I am looking forward to creating advocacy models and campaigns that will raise awareness and bring about change to the inequalities that women face during and after treatment. 

I am excited to be a part of the Rethink team as they are a fantastic group of women—and a man!—who offer a refreshing approach to breast cancer services. As Rethink evolves and embarks on a new decade, we will be applying  our creative approach to advocacy, something that I am sure will benefit women for years to come. 

If you would like to know more about Rethink’s advocacy program or you would like to get involved please contact me. 

- Ashley MacIssac-Butler

Senior Manager of Advocacy, Rethink Breast Cancer