At The Max Foundation, we believe in the power of individuals to make a difference, especially when it comes to health equity. Over the years, we’ve been privileged to work alongside some amazing people in both the public and private sectors – people who have moved mountains to help patients around the world face cancer with dignity and hope. We also believe in working closely with organizations whose mission and values align with our own.
At first glance, Global Fiberglass Solutions might seem an unlikely partner for The Max Foundation. However, when you look at our shared values – innovation, sustainable solutions, and global citizenship – it makes perfect sense. In fact, our partnership extends beyond just our values.
Global Fiberglass Solutions and The Max Foundation actually shared common leadership at our inceptions. The late Ken Weyant, one of our founding board members, was a visionary who understood the need to close the cancer divide between higher-income and lower-income countries. At the same time, he began a quest to recycle landfill-bound wind turbines into new products for the greater good. Since our respective beginnings, both our organizations have found different answers to the same fundamental question: “How do you take a difficult situation and use it to better the world?”
Our worlds came together again in 2017, thanks to the generous support of Global Fiberglass Solutions co-founder Don Lilly. Don has said, “There are such compelling synergies between our workstreams, in that both organizations are driven to find solutions that will increase health and well-being in our global community. And, with much regret, we lost Ken to cancer a couple of years back, which only underscores our commitment to the cause.”
Both The Max Foundation and Global Fiberglass Solutions see the tremendous value in public-private partnerships and believe social enterprise is the best way to build a better world. As a public nonprofit organization, The Max Foundation’s success depends upon donations from companies like Global Fiberglass Solutions – this strong community support makes our mission possible. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Don and his team and welcome the chance to forge new partnerships with like-minded individuals and organizations along the way.
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.
The anniversary of someone’s death is always difficult. Just as we recently remembered Max’s passing, we also hold the others who have passed too soon. Below, Beena shares a remembrance of our dear Jaya, who was a committed team member and played that role of a patient advocate amazingly well until she so sadly lost her battle….
For many patients, there aren’t many opportunities for them to learn about their disease directly from experts. So when the opportunity to hear from a hematologist at Naresuan University Hospital in Thailand, we were excited to maximize the event.
Antonia was three years old when she was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, and 4 years old when she attended her first Maximize Life Campaign event in Nicaragua. Her mother’s testimony inspired everyone present, but what was most surprising was the testimony that followed – Antonia’s: “Hello, my name is Antonia, and I am happy to be here!” After getting to know her, every member of Alas de Vida adopted Antonia as their own example to follow. She became The Princess, the little warrior who spreads optimism in the group.
