Advocacy for health rights with a group of patients with chronic diseases in a low-income neighbourhood in Ecuador

Objective: We describe an advocacy process developed with a diabetes patient club from a low-income area, using participatory research methods aimed at securing governmental support and recognition of peer networks as a fundamental principle of health promotion for chronic patients. Results: This participatory process, led by local facilitators from the Chimbacalle Diabetes Patients’ Club, followed three key steps: social diagnosis (using participatory tools such as a sociogram and SWOT analysis), development of a community narrative through digital storytelling, and process evaluation. Through this approach, participants identified support groups as essential connectors between patients and the healthcare system and highlighted their potential in prevention and health promotion, while also emphasizing the need for institutional support, infrastructure, and accessibility. By centring lived experiences, such as environmental stressors, emotional well-being, and peer support, storytelling helped surface issues often overlooked in clinical guidelines. The experience illustrates how participatory methodologies and storytelling can enhance communication, foster empathy toward the often-invisible challenges of living with Type 2 diabetes, and help drive advocacy strategies that translate evidence into context-sensitive actions rooted in social realities and community needs.