Zal Press | Patient Commando

Carmen Wyton Life is unpredictable… I have committed every day to filling it with things that bring me energy, while helping others, and demonstrating a model for building a caring community.

My passion is for people with disabilities, community health, and opportunities for youth – especially those at risk. I am highly energized by coaching people to take charge of their life and their health, be the leader of their treatment team, and find a way to thrive regardless of the challenges.

My personal experience with arthritis as a child, followed by MS as an adult, has provided me with real-life…. life-long learning in chronic disease. It looked different as a child in primary school, was often overwhelming as a young mother juggling a family and a career, and somehow it all settled in as I continued to age (gracefully). I believe these experiences are the primary drivers that moulded my community action and career choices.

My opportunity to pursue a career in leading community health with seniors, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Arthritis Society, and the MS Society allowed me to engage people/patients directly – I am confident I helped them cope with their disease, learn to navigate the health care system and … [...] continue the story

How do patient advocacy groups get started? What motivates people to get engaged and involved? How do they become enabled and empowered?

A milestone event was held on July 20th, 2013 in Toronto to highlight the plight of women suffering from uterine fibroids and the associated heavy menstrual bleeding.

Women from across Canada who suffer from uterine fibroids came together to meet, share and brainstorm to create the first authentic patient voice in Canada regarding this important area of women’s health.

The significance of this event lies in the impact of this condition on the whole patient experience from living with the disease, diagnosis, treatment to follow up. Uterine fibroids account for more hysterectomies in Canada than any other condition. According to the National Uterine Fibroids Foundation (NUFF) in the U.S., up to 80 percent of all women have uterine fibroids. While the majority never have symptoms, one in four ends up with symptoms severe enough to require treatment and the experience can be horrifying.

In Canada, there is no organization such as NUFF, no unified or organized patient voice, to advocate for timely and appropriate care and treatment of women who have suffered unbelievable pain, discomfort, embarrassment, humiliation and anger due to uterine [...] continue the story