PatientAdvocacy.Academy 2026:

Creating Impact

Your words can move people, open doors, and drive real change for your patients.

Join our free course and make it happen!

fully online • starts 5 November 2026 • about 20 min a day • applications close 16 October 2026

This is especially true for advocates working in the rare disease space, where making your voice heard can be a matter of life and death for your patients. The answer to all of these challenges is the same: the ability to communicate in ways that create real impact.

You're in the right place.

We're Adrian, Bernadeta and Kamila — patient advocacy trainers with 10+ years of experience. Together, we created PatientAdvocacy.Academy: a free, comprehensive online course packed with reliable knowledge, proven strategies, and ready-to-use tools.

Our goal is simple: to help you communicate with confidence, amplify your voice, and make your advocacy efforts create real impact.

This year at PatientAdvocacy.Academy, we will teach you to communicate in ways that move people, open doors, and drive real change for your patients.

Your advocacy. Our expertise.

Is Your Voice Being Heard as a Patient Advocate?

Do you struggle to tailor your message for doctors, NGOs, or public figures?

Do your patients understand what you're really trying to tell them?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by interactions with media, or key opinion leaders?

Do you lack confidence in public speaking or creating presentations?

Last seats available! Submission closes in:

21-Day Programme

combining lectures, live sessions and practice

10 Online Lectures

that turn communication

into advocacy impact

2 Live Discussion Circles

to work on your skills during

live sessions

Exclusive Facebook Group

to exchange ideas with fellow patient advocates

Grant Competition

with a cash prize pool for your organization

One free course. Everything you need to grow as an advocate:

Practice Materials

including Action Sheets and knowledge-check quizzes

We've trained advocates from 55 countries. You're next.

video lectures

participants

229

109

103

organizations

55

countries

editions

2018-2025

How does PatientAdvocacy.Academy look in detail?

A 21-day program built around your reality as a patient advocate — practical, flexible, and proven over eight years.

Before the course begins, you'll join a small online session (max. 10 people) to meet your trainers, connect with fellow participants, and share your story. These meetings also help us tailor the Online Discussion Circles to your real challenges.

Pre-Course Welcome Meetings

The first four days of the PatientAdvocacy.Academy are dedicated to fostering connections among participants. We create a private discussion group where you can introduce yourself, share more about your organizations, and talk about the condition you advocate for. This phase also covers technical steps like completing a pre-course survey, accessing the video platform, and getting ready to dive in.

Getting Started Together

For the next 2 weeks, you'll have expert video lectures every workday, totaling 10 sessions. These cover the most important topics. Each video includes English subtitles, so you can understand the content even if English isn't your first language. We've also added extra screens, charts, and infographics to make learning easier and more enjoyable for you.

10 Expert Video Lectures

Every lecture is accompanied by additional learning materials to help deepen your understanding and apply it to real-life challenges faced by your patient organization. Under each video, you'll find: a printable Action Sheet, a short knowledge-check quiz, and a summary of the lecture.

Practice Materials

Twice during PatientAdvocacy.Academy, we host live online discussion circles — interactive sessions where you'll collaborate with other participants to tackle real-world challenges, exchange ideas, and share solutions you can implement in your organization. Topics are selected based on insights gathered from your Welcome Meetings.

Online Discussion Circles

A core principle of the Academy is that participants learn not only from trainers but also from each other. The private Facebook group is a space to exchange ideas, share success stories, ask follow-up questions, and build meaningful connections that last beyond the course.

Private Discussion Group

What you'll learn

WEEK 1

Building Your Advocacy Voice

During the first week, you will explore the foundations of effective communication with diverse audiences — as the cornerstone of impactful advocacy.

Build your coalition: turning doctors, NGOs and public figures into allies

Speaking to patients: how to be understood, not just heard

Getting your story published: working with media and finding the right partners

Stakeholder conversations: how to talk

as a partner, not someone asking for a favor

Making the case to sponsors and donors: language that opens doors

Taking the stage: public speaking as

an advocacy superpower

Is content really king? What makes

a presentation actually work

Building a presentation that moves people to act

Public speaking — finding your authentic voice

Preparing for a high-stakes conversation:

a practical framework

During the second week, you will dive into the practical aspects of public speaking, self-presentation, and preparing presentations that move people to act.

WEEK 2

From Words to Impact

Course Schedule

(5–25 November 2026)

Days 1-3:

Getting Started Together

Days 5-9:

Week 1 Lectures

Day 8:

First Online

Discussion Circle

Days 12-16:

Week 2 Lectures

Day 15:

Second Online

Discussion Circle

Day 21:

Academy Conclusion

Day 16:

Grant Competition Launch

Grant Competition:
Complete the course, win funding for your organization.

PatientAdvocacy.Academy isn't just about learning — it's also a chance to secure real funding for your patient organisation's next initiative.

Step 1 — Actively participate: watch the lectures, join discussions, and attend both live meetings.

Step 2 — Submit your entry: follow the competition brief shared at the end of the Academy.

We will select 3 winners who will each receive a grant to put their new skills directly into action.

Meet your trainers

Bernadeta Prandzioch-Goretzki

A psychologist who has dedicated over a decade to improving the lives of rare disease patients. At the Healthcare Education Institute, she leads research on quality of life and has authored numerous scientific publications. She is also the co-author of two patient handbooks and a TEDx speaker — her talk ranks in the Top 10 most-watched Polish TEDx talks, with over 400K views on YouTube.

Adrian Goretzki

A lawyer and long-standing rare disease advocate who has led patient organisations at both national and international level. His work has been recognised with prestigious awards: the Luciano Vassalli Award, the University of Silesia Rector's Award, the Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope, and the EURORDIS Black Pearl Award.

Kamila Rzepka

A lawyer with hands-on experience in patient advocacy, having worked as a project manager for a national patient organisation before joining the Healthcare Education Institute. She coordinates cooperation with patient groups across Europe and is the co-author of the "Legal Toolkit for Patient Advocates: Report on the patients’ participation in decision-making and law-making processes".

But don't just take our word for it!

Check out what participants have to say:

“

”

I truly enjoyed the format of the Academy, as well as the engaging and informative content. I was particularly impressed with the video lectures. They were exceptionally well-executed, with excellent audio, video quality, and a professional presentation of the material.

Oleksandr Radchenko

Ukrainian Alliance for Haemophilia and Related Disorders

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for sharing your knowledge with us. The videos were incredibly educational, and I found Adrian's experiences and the tips he shared during the online video circles especially insightful and impactful.

Marvelous Ibiyemi

Nigerian Cardiac Community

“

”

The video materials were extremely helpful and practical and I learned a lot from them. I also really appreciated how active and engaging the Facebook page was; I read many interesting comments and found some valuable insights there as well.

This was my second year in the academy. And I have the intention to continue applying for the academy, because the topics dealt in the academy are different every year. The videos are of great quality, and they are easy to follow.

Oana Voivod

“The Together for Patrick Association” representing patients with cystic fibrosis from Romania

Hrvatska Anderson Fabry udruga

Kornelije Juranić

PatientAdvocacy.Academy was rated

9.5 out of 10 by participants across all editions!

9,5

General evaluation

of all editions

9,7

Usefulness

of the information

9,7

Choice

of the subject

Submission closes in:

Join PatientAdvocacy.Academy now!

5–25 November 2026

After registration you will receive a confirmation email.

Free for you. Possible because of them.

Our sponsors believe in the power of patient advocacy — and make it possible for you to join at no cost.

Copyright by Healthcare Education Institute. The Foundation 2026.

All rights Reserved. All logos belong to their respective owners.

Policy privacy | Contact: office@eduinstitute.org

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