From Diagnosis to Advocacy: The Power of Self-Advocacy with Luan Lawrenson-Woods

Written By Jo Clark

In this powerful episode, we meet Luan, whose unexpected breast cancer diagnosis at 46 transformed not just her life path but her entire approach to healthcare advocacy. Her journey from a working-class background in northern England to becoming Australia's leading voice in patient self-advocacy reveals how life's challenges can unveil our true purpose. Luan's story demonstrates that our past experiences - even those that seemed insignificant at the time - can prepare us for our most important work.

Key Takeaways:

  • Early detection matters

Luan's cancer was discovered through her first mammogram at 46, four years before the standard screening age. Her decision to get checked despite having no apparent symptoms highlights the importance of being proactive about health screening.

  • The power of self-advocacy

Through her experience, Luan discovered that patient self-advocacy isn't just for when things go wrong - it's a proactive approach that should begin from day one. It involves knowing yourself, understanding your rights, and effectively communicating your needs to healthcare providers.

  • Information is empowerment

When facing health challenges, Luan recommends gathering information from three key sources: medical professionals, evidence-based resources, and community experiences. This triangulated approach helps inform better questions and leads to more productive conversations with healthcare teams.

  • Finding purpose through challenge

What started as sharing her reconstruction journey on Instagram evolved into creating Australia's first podcast about reconstruction after mastectomy (Rewritten Me) and launching a broader platform for patient advocacy (Regarding Me). Her story shows how personal challenges can become stepping stones to helping others.

Moving Forward Together

If you're navigating a health challenge or supporting someone who is, remember that you have the right to participate in your healthcare journey actively. Connect with Luan's work through her podcasts Rewritten Me and Regarding Me, or follow her advocacy journey on Instagram. Her message is clear: while we can't choose every challenge we face, we can choose how we respond and use our experiences to create positive change for others.

Links to resources

You can also find me on Instagram -⁠ https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/⁠ and LinkedIn -⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/⁠

Here’s to redefining midlife and making our next half of life even better than the first. 

Jo Clark
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