Advocacy Awareness Week 2026: cancer advocacy support in Wales

At its heart, advocacy is not simply about processes, policies, complaints or services. It is about people, and making sure everyone is heard, understood and supported at some of the most challenging moments in their lives.

This year’s theme, Keeping Advocacy Human, feels particularly relevant for people affected by cancer in Wales.

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Alongside treatment decisions, people may face uncertainty, emotional distress, financial pressures and complex healthcare systems. At these moments, having someone to help make sure your voice is heard can mean a great deal.

For many people in Wales, that support is strengthened through our partnership with Llais. We share a commitment to empowering people and placing lived experience at the centre of care.

The human side of cancer advocacy

Advocacy is often described as helping people understand their rights, express their views and make informed choices. But behind every advocacy conversation is a person with their own story, concerns, fears and hopes.

Keeping advocacy human means recognising that people affected by cancer are parents, partners, friends, colleagues and members of their community, whose voices deserve to be heard with dignity and compassion.

When someone feels unheard, unsure how to raise concerns or lacks the confidence to ask questions about their care, advocacy can offer both practical support and reassurance.

We have recently strengthened our focus on advocacy, providing resources to help people understand their rights, prepare for appointments, communicate concerns and access advocacy support when they need it.

Stronger together: our partnership with Llais

Llais is the independent statutory body responsible for making sure people in Wales have a strong voice in health and social care. It listens to people’s experiences, good and bad, to understand what is working well and where services could improve, locally, regionally and nationally. It uses what people tell it to influence decisions about health and social care across Wales.

Llais also provides free, independent and confidential complaints advocacy, supporting people with concerns about NHS and social care services. Its trained advocates help people understand the process, explore their options and communicate their experiences effectively. Since April 2026, NHS concerns in Wales have been handled under Listening to People, which replaced Putting Things Right and offers advocacy and support throughout.

Our partnership creates clearer pathways for people seeking support. We provide cancer-specific information, guidance and self-advocacy resources, while Llais offers independent advocacy and expertise in navigating concerns and complaints. Together, we help make sure no one is left to deal with difficult situations alone.

Advocacy works best when it begins with listening. By understanding what matters to people and connecting them with the right support, we can help create services that are more responsive and more compassionate.

Looking ahead: keeping advocacy human in Wales

Keeping advocacy human means seeing the person before the process, listening before responding and valuing lived experience as expertise. It means working together so that everyone affected by cancer in Wales has the opportunity to be heard, understood and supported.

Advocacy is about more than solving problems. It is about preserving dignity, building confidence and helping people find their voice, knowing that someone is listening. Through our continued partnership with Llais, we will keep making sure no one faces cancer alone.