Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient Advocate Volunteer

Opening for Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient Advocate Volunteer

SWOG Cancer Research Network, a member of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), seeks an experienced patient advocate to serve on the following cancer research committee:
Gastrointestinal Committee

Candidates should have lived experience with GI 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

ANDa statement of qualifications (CV, resume, or an informal outline of activities as related to research advocacy) by February 24, 2026 to Bàrbara Segarra‑Vàzquez and Anne Marie Mercurio at barbarasegarra

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.

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.

Experience in liver, pancreas, biliary, or gastroesophageal cancer will be prioritized.

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

• 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.

• 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…