Training for next generation of patient advocates
Europa has announced its new Winter School to train prostate cancer patients to become patient advocates. Part of the Europa Uomo Academy programme, the school will take place between 8th and 13th February 2026 in Brussels.
Europa Uomo is now inviting its member organisations to nominate up to two representatives to participate in the training.
The Winter School is different from the Summer School because it will focus on the knowledge and skills required for patient advocacy, as opposed to the information needed to become an “expert patient” which was covered in the Summer School.
Subjects covered will include: evidence and data; the regulatory environment; the health care system; shared decision-making; peer to peer support.
“The objective of the Winter School is to create confident and well-trained patient advocates,” said Erik Briers, Europa Uomo Chair. “Our Summer School trained patients with prostate cancer to become experts and they now have an extensive knowledge of the disease and can help fellow patients make informed decisions on their treatment. To help fellow patients in shared decision making, expert patients could benefit from more training to become ‘expert patient advocates’.”
Read Karl Mortier's experience of training to be an expert patient advocate at the Europa Uomo Academy.