Advocacy Through Lived Experience
A reflection by Dr. Martha Castilleja, a Mexican Medical Doctor, polio survivor, health editor, former director of an Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Center, and current Vice President of the Rotary World Disability Advocacy Group, on why advocacy is a core part of professional responsibility.
Thoughts by Dr. Martha Castilleja
When I hear the word advocacy, I think of a kind and compassionate woman named Rose Gold. I never met her — though I wish I had — but I came to know her through the stories her son, my close friend, shared, recounting her empathy, generosity, and unwavering commitment to her community in Far Rockaway, New York, during the 1940s.
At a time when there were no formal programs for children with disabilities, Rose opened her home and her heart to care for legally blind, emotionally disturbed, and physically handicapped children. She created a safe, nurturing environment for them — an act of pure advocacy, lived out in everyday choices. Rose Gold embodies what the American poet, author, and activist Maya Angelou once said: “I’m convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they’re stones that don’t matter. As long as you’re breathing, it’s never too late to do some good.”
Advocacy is defined as speaking on behalf of others, supporting a cause, or pleading for a change. In healthcare, it means more than being a skilled clinician — it means standing up for patients, speaking out against injustice, and working toward equitable access to quality care. Advocacy is not optional; it is a moral and ethical obligation. It is, quite simply, a professional responsibility.
Some countries, including Ireland and Canada, have taken steps to formalize this responsibility by embedding advocacy into their professional standards. These include promoting safe and effective treatment, helping patients navigate complex systems, and ensuring that no individual is left behind due to barriers like language, culture, gender identity, or socioeconomic status.
Medical education has also embraced advocacy as a core competency. “Health advocate” is now a key role for graduates — one that extends beyond individual patient care to encompass communities and populations. Future health professionals are expected to show compassion, understand health disparities, and pursue systemic change with social accountability.
But you don’t have to be a well-known activist to make a difference. Advocacy starts with small, meaningful actions — like those of Rose Gold. Her legacy reminds us that anyone can be an advocate.
We must always take a stand. Neutrality and silence help no one. It begins with action, proactivity, and inclusion — essential steps in building strong, sustained advocacy.