Community Matters Blog
Frances Moore Lappe once said,
“Community – meaning for me ‘nurturing human connection’ – is our survival. We humans wither outside of community. It isn’t a luxury, a nice thing; community is essential to our wellbeing.”
Whether we consider our community as our close network or recognize the importance of the community in which we live, our community is essential to every aspect of our lives. To strengthen our community, we share our time, resources and knowledge that lead to lasting change, improvement and growth.
When we think about the clinical research community, it is filled with individuals and groups who are all working toward similar goals – better health, more access and greater knowledge. Specifically, through grassroots, community-driven initiatives like the PopUp Star competition, we are able to see transformation and connection, and ignite passion in those around us to further engage the masses in the importance of participating in clinical trials. Through targeted community awareness events we have seen more people participate in clinical trials as well as greater education through deeper connections with the people around them. Through PopUp Star and the work of many advocacy and awareness groups we believe community offers:
- An environment of knowledge and education that ignites creativity and innovation by bringing together unique voices to enhance a common goal.
- An opportunity to cultivate and build relationships to support one another.
- A safe space of encouragement, love and belonging.
Whether you are a clinical research professional, been impacted by clinical research in some way, or new to research; it is pertinent as we make connections with the community around us to foster change and create an opportunity for others to learn, grow and thrive. Together, we can all shine the light on advancing the health and well being of others through clinical research.