Building Self-Advocacy Skills in Healthcare: A Conversation with Aoife Kirwan (2026)

In this webinar, Aoife explained that self-advocacy in healthcare is not confrontational, but centred on small, collaborative interactions where patients combined their lived experience with clinical expertise. Aoife highlighted that, in chronic illnesses like Parkinson’s, fluctuating and often invisible symptoms made clear, honest communication essential. Aoife outlined common barriers, including intimidation, time pressure, and cognitive symptoms, emphasising that feeling overwhelmed was normal. She also stressed that understanding patient rights in British Columbia could empower individuals to ask questions, make informed decisions, and seek respectful care.

Aoife introduced practical strategies, including the PREP framework, encouraging patients to prepare priorities, record symptoms, express real-life impacts, and leave with a clear plan. She advised using respectful, impact-focused language, bringing support people, and calmly asserting oneself when feeling unheard, while maintaining partnership with clinicians. She further discussed the value of second opinions, the supportive role of care partners, and the importance of external resources, concluding that self-advocacy was a gradual process where even small actions contributed to meaningful engagement in care.

**Disclaimer: These sessions are designed to provide general education and are not intended for individual advice and/or clinical care. The information conveyed in this recording was accurate at the time of presentation.**