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Patient Advocacy at WSCN

Lived experience. Shared decisions. Better outcomes.

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Get Involved
Patient Advocacy Explained
Ways To Get Involved
Patient Advisory Council
Sponsorship

Why patient advocacy matters

WSCN is a people-first organization. This means making decisions with people, not only about them. Research shows that when people are involved in decision-making, we achieve better healthcare outcomes.

Patient and caregiver involvement can reveal unmet needs, accessibility barriers, confusing language, unrealistic assumptions, and unintended consequences. It can also identify practical solutions and opportunities that organizations may otherwise miss. By building lived experience into planning and evaluation, WSCN can make its work more relevant, equitable, trustworthy, and useful. This means we can bridge existing gaps and work toward a world where everyone has access to a vibrant, healthy day and a great night’s sleep.

What is patient advocacy?

Patient advocacy means using personal and shared experience to improve understanding, support, and decision-making for people living with sleep or circadian conditions. It can include learning to speak up for yourself or a loved one, sharing community priorities, reviewing educational resources, supporting peers, contributing to research, joining a roundtable, or advising an organization.

You do not need a professional title, academic qualification, or years of experience to contribute. Patients and caregivers bring valuable insight into the practical barriers, trade-offs, and daily realities that may not be visible in clinical data or organizational plans. By sharing your experience openly, while recognizing that other people’s needs may differ, you can help shape more responsive education, programs, research, and services. As a patient-first organization, WSCN values your experience and the perspectives it brings to our work.

Type of advocacy

What it can look like

Self-advocacy

Learning about a condition, preparing questions, communicating needs, seeking appropriate care, and making informed decisions

Community advocacy

Sharing practical knowledge, mentoring, helping others feel less alone, identifying common barriers, or connecting people with trustworthy resources through groups and events

Advocate with WSCN

Reviewing information, helping set priorities, co-designing programs, joining advisory discussions and giving feedback on how WSCN communicates and delivers support

Influence research and policy

Contributing to research questions, projects, policy conversations, professional education, roundtables and decisions that influence services or care

Ways to get involved

There are many ways to become an advocate. Explore different pathways and discover how you can participate in a way that’s right for you.

Share your perspective

Best for: Someone who wants to make an occasional or one-time contribution

Commitment level: One-off/occasional

Activities can include:
  • Responding to a community survey
  • Reviewing patient-facing resources
  • Joining a focus group, roundtable or co-design workshop
  • Sharing a personal story

Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about upcoming opportunities, or send us a message directly.

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Apply for the Bridge to Knowledge Grant

Best for: Patients, family, caregivers, and community members who need financial support to access learning and skills development.

Commitment level: Learning opportunity as proposed by you.

Activities can include:
  • Attending a conference or training course
  • Participating in workshops to build stronger self-advocacy
  • Attending round tables and feedback panels

Explore how this grant works and discover if you are eligible to apply.

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Join the Patient Advisory Council

Best for: People with lived experience who are interested in an ongoing role helping WSCN make patient-informed decisions.

Commitment level: A 12-month advisory role.

Activities can include:
  • Attending WSCN workshops
  • Co-designing and developing patient resources
  • Sitting at sponsor roundtables
  • Joining focus groups
  • Storytelling and sharing lived experience

Register your early interest in joining the 2027 Patient Advisory Council, callout will be late 2026 into early 2027.

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Become a patient research collaborator through the PLIR Program

Best for: Patients and caregivers who want structured preparation to contribute to research projects.

Commitment level: Structured training over 12 weeks. Voluntary research participation after course completion.

Activities can include:
  • Attending virtual seminars
  • Learning research participation skills
  • Connecting to people with a shared experience
  • Building knowledge about your sleep condition
  • Participating in research development and planning

Find out more about the PLIR Program, including eligibility and requirements.

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Support others through peer mentorship

Best for: Experienced CPAP users who want to help by offering mentoring.

Commitment level: Once-off training and ongoing mentorship calls.

Activities can include:
  • Completing an online mentor training program
  • Connecting to a mentee/new CPAP user
  • Providing support via phone calls
  • Sharing your lived experience and wisdom

Find out more about becoming a CPAP Mentor through our AWAKE program.

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Amplify your organization’s efforts with a grant

Best for: Existing grassroots organizations and community groups who need basic funding to bolster current efforts.

Commitment level: Adherence to grant requirements, project nominated by you.

Activities can include:
  • Creating awareness-raising initiatives
  • Delivering education programs
  • Hosting community outreach & local events
  • Creating educational resources

Patient Advisory Council

WSCN is forming a 2027 Patient Advisory Council that will bring together people living with sleep or circadian conditions and carers, partners and supporters with direct experience. We welcome people of different ages, backgrounds, locations and stages of the health journey—whether they are experienced advocates or contributing for the first time.

Patient advisors may share perspectives across WSCN’s planning, programs, educational content, research, outreach and wider stakeholder engagement. The Council’s final scope and activities will be confirmed as it develops.

Interested in a future
Patient Advisory Council role?
Join the waitlist to receive updates.

Register early interest

Sponsor Patient Advocacy at WSCN

Sponsorship helps WSCN build patient advocacy programs that are practical, inclusive, and shaped by lived experience—so more people can contribute to education, research engagement, and better care pathways. Sponsor support can fund accessible participation, training for patient and caregiver contributors, and community listening that turns insights into action. If your organization wants to invest in person-first impact, we’d love to connect.

Explore what partnership with WSCN looks like
on our Sponsorship Page.

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