Opening for Lung Cancer Patient Advocate Volunteer

Candidates should have lived experience with lung cancer, along with cancer research advocacy experience, including clinical trials.  

This is an exciting time at SWOG as we become increasingly patient-centric, with the associated accountability and opportunities.

Please send a letter of interest AND a statement of qualifications (CV, resume, or an informal outline of activities as related to research advocacy) by December 5, 2025, to Bàrbara Segarra-Vàzquez and Anne Marie Mercurio at mercurio@swog.org. 

About SWOG Cancer Research Network

SWOG designs and conducts multidisciplinary clinical trials to improve the standard of care in preventing, detecting, and treating cancer, and to enhance the quality of life for cancer survivors. SWOG is supported largely through NCI research grant funding and is committed to bringing the voice of the patient into the research process.

Role of the SWOG Patient Advocate

The primary role of the Patient Advocate within SWOG is to bring the perspectives of those most affected by cancer to the group’s work at all stages of clinical trials – define, design, develop, and deliver. Patient Advocates are members of both the Patient Advocate Committee and the given research or research support committee.

The single most important qualification you will bring to this role is your personal experience. Only candidates with lived experience of a cancer diagnosis or those who have provided a significant level of care for someone with cancer will be considered.

Members of the SWOG Patient Advocate Committee are not permitted to cross-serve as patient advocate members in another NCTN group.

Requirements for Being a SWOG Patient Advocate

• Experience with, and a dedicated interest in, cancer research and survivorship concerns, particularly across the disease area for which the candidate is being considered and with experience in clinical trials advocacy.
• This experience should include familiarity with the research process including grant reviews, participating with researchers throughout the research process, or other related activities. 
• Willingness and ability to attend all semiannual SWOG meetings and monthly teleconference calls.
• Ability to work collaboratively, possess technological skills to fulfill all responsibilities in a primarily virtual environment, and meet required deadlines.
• Experience with a national or regional cancer or survivor advocacy organization is not required but may demonstrate commitment to the community. Please include all affiliations in submission materials.

Duties of the Patient Advocates to the Group

• Primary role is to bring the perspectives of those affected by cancer to SWOG.
• Advocates will provide input across the clinical trial lifecycle:  define, review, design, Implement, and share phases of clinical trials.
• Advocates attend regularly scheduled SWOG Group meetings. Two meetings are held each year – one in the spring (typically April in San Francisco) and one in the fall (typically October in Chicago). SWOG will pay airfare and ground transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals for each meeting. Advocates are expected to attend the group meetings in person. Advocates will attend their assigned committee’s session(s), and the patient advocate committee meeting but are welcome and encouraged to attend other sessions.
• In addition to supporting their assigned committee, advocates will support the patient advocate committee which conducts sessions at the group meetings and on monthly Zoom calls and works on projects to improve patient advocacy and patient-centricity at SWOG.
• The role requires approximately 3 hours of virtual meetings per month. The Patient Advocate Committee meets monthly (virtual) for one hour. Disease committee requirements vary but are typically 1-2 additional hours (virtual) per month. An additional four hours per month may be required. Please note: total time varies and depends upon the actual number of studies in development. Meeting agreed upon deadlines is crucial.
• Professional development funds are typically available for the Advocates to use to cover some portion of the costs to attend at least one oncology conference (selected by each advocate) per year. Funds may vary annually.
• Advocates will be on e-mail distribution list to receive concepts, protocol drafts, and other materials from their Committee when drafts go out for Committee review and provide input on these materials to their Committee. 
• Advocates will work with the Communications and Public Relations Manager to help create, review, and disseminate information regarding Group clinical trials to regional and local advocate groups involved in patient education and outreach efforts that extend the mission of SWOG.
• Advocates will provide suggestions on how the Group can best work with the advocacy community.
• Advocates will provide the Group with suggestions and feedback from the national, local, and regional advocacy community.
• All Advocates will agree to maintain the ethical and confidentiality standards of the Group and are required to sign annual financial disclosure/conflict of interest forms. 
• Advocates serve for five years (renewable after first five-year term for one additional term at discretion of the Group Chair under recommendation by their committee chairs).