Jan Geissler, Dipl, from Patvocates GmbH, Hohenbrunn, Germany, gives an overview of the evolution of patient advocacy over the past years. Mr Geissler explains that patient advocacy is a now a professional community that builds their work on evidence, working with scientists to influence healthcare policy and support patients on a day-to-day basis. Recorded at the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) 2019 Annual Meeting, held in Frankfurt, Germany.