In July, we are kicking off the second year of Chai for Cancer USA, a fundraising campaign that expands access to treatment for people facing cancer in India. For 6 weeks, South Asia Region Head Viji Venkatesh will travel across the country to meet with our friends and supporters, bringing together our community in support of one of the greatest needs of cancer patients in India: diagnostic testing.
This is an era of great advances in cancer treatment – diagnostic testing brings newfound hope, but the cost is a barrier for those who cannot afford the tests required to benefit from free, life-saving treatment. At $50 (3,000 Rupees) per test, required 4 times a year, this is an impossible expense for most patients and their families. The funds raised by Chai for Cancer USA will ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time.
We are delighted and grateful to have volunteers hosting chai addas (tea parties) around the country, in California, Arizona, Missouri, Washington DC, North Carolina, Washington, New Jersey, British Columbia, and Ontario to raise awareness about the needs of cancer patients while raising funds for their support. Our sponsor Choice Organic Teas is providing the delicious tea, and our adda hosts are opening their homes and hearts, sharing our mission with their community.
Whether you are near or far, you can support the cause! Raise a cup of chai at home and donate online to support Chai for Cancer USA, or if you are in the Seattle area, join us for The Max Foundation’s Adda on August 12th!
The Max Foundation is a leading global health nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity. For 28 years, Max has pioneered practical, scalable, high-quality solutions to bring life-extending treatments and patient-centered health care to more than 100,000 people living with cancer and critical illness in low- and middle-income countries. Max believes in a world where all people can access high-impact medicines, where geography is not destiny, and where everyone can strive for health with dignity and with hope.
One of the things I observed at Maputo Central Hospital was the level of comfort and trust between the physician and the patient. It is remarkable because until today the doctors had no effective treatment to give. And yet the patients came back, time after time, for regular check-ups, never losing hope.
Understanding and recognizing the inequities in cancer care around the globe underpins the 2022-24 World Cancer Day theme to Close the Care Gap. The needs are urgent, and the opportunity exists to make progress toward equitable cancer care for all. We must listen to the perspectives of people living with cancer and let those lived….
In the last decade, we have reached over 10,000 patients and caregivers in Malaysia. This has been one of the most significant things in my journey with The Max Foundation: the opportunity to work with so many amazing individuals – each one of them teaches me the meaning of life, shows me the courage, and prove that nothing is impossible.
