Mila Ogalla Toledo, Patient Advisory Committee at Digestive Cancers Europe, Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager at Patvocates, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“How do you explain to someone who’s never experienced the world of advocacy, or never had to face a cancer diagnosis, what it feels like to finally find a place where you truly belong after being forced to face your own mortality?
How on Earth do you put that into words?
The vulnerability.
The support.
The understanding.
The raw and honest conversations.
The complete absence of judgement.
The kind of people whose achievements feel like your own. Whose eyes light up when they see you, and yours do exactly the same.
Quite often I hear: ‘Wow, you’re travelling so much! So jealous of you!’
And I always find myself explaining to them that advocacy is not about travelling. It’s not just about going to conferences.
It’s about making sure we’re in the rooms where we belong.
Because every conversation we’re part of, is an opportunity to make sure the next person going through a similar experience has the support, tools, options, and information that we found lacking. It’s about working as hard as we possibly can to make things better for those who come after us.
The truth is, cancer is not going anywhere anytime soon. And that’s why we do what we do.
Looking back at these photos, I still can’t quite understand how the Universe works.
How did I end up on a panel with Digestive Cancers Europe in November 2024, and now, in July 2026, on a panel at ESMO – European Society for Medical Oncology?
How did it bring together this amazing, brilliant bunch of people who, just two years ago, were complete strangers, and somehow made them feel like family from the get-go?
Sometimes I wish I could give my past self a hug and tell her that the people, opportunities and places she once looked up to would one day become part of her own life.
There really must be an invisible thread connecting us all.
PS 1:
Am I depleted? Absolutely.
Am I already counting the days until we meet again? Without question.
Is the physical and emotional exhaustion worth it? Every single time.
PS 2:
More posts and reflections to come from recent weeks and months (there’s still SO much I haven’t had the chance to share yet!)
Thank you all for being part of it!”
Other articles featuring Mila Ogalla Toledo on OncoDaily.
