Five ways to become your
own advocate – both in the
doctor’s office and out
TA K E
CHARGE
OF YOUR
health
If you’ve been living
with diabetes for a while,
chances are you have a lot of
practice participating in your
own care. Sometimes tracking,
checking and managing it all
can feel like a full-time job.
But here’s the good news:
all that participation gets you
closer to becoming an engaged
patient – someone who equips
themselves with information,
asks questions and partners
with supportive doctors to
make better health decisions.
Dave deBronkart – a patient
advocate, international speaker
and co-founder of America’s
Society for Participatory
Medicine – is a prime example.
After he was diagnosed with
stage 4 kidney cancer in 2007,
with an expected survival of less
than six months, deBronkart
saw a leading oncologist, read
everything he could about new
treatments and got active on
patient forums. He had surgery
and got into a clinical trial for
immunotherapy – and 12 years
later, he’s still in remission.
“Part of how I helped save
my own life, according to my
oncologist, was that I became an
engaged, informed patient,” he
says. Seven years after his cancer
diagnosis, deBronkart also beat
prediabetes. He joined his local
Diabetes Prevention Program,
started tracking his activity and
food intake using MyFitnessPal,
and began going to the gym.
Navigating the healthcare
system can feel overwhelming
at times – especially when you
are managing a chronic
condition – but even small
steps towards becoming more
engaged can help you get the
most from your care.
Here are some key strategies
to move you in that direction.