The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has been hosting the World Cancer Congress each year since 1933. This year it was held in Malaysia – the first time in South East Asia.
Thousands of delegates from around the world convened in Kuala Lumpur, “to unite the cancer community, reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity and integrate cancer into the world’s health and development agenda.”
The Max Foundation was an active participant:
Side-by-side with other internationally recognized leaders, Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, CEO, shared Max’s 20-year-history in “Uncovering the Stories Behind the Leaders.”
Erin Schwartz, VP of Global Engagement, presented on the importance of including patient perspectives in “Global Equity of Cancer Care.”
Ong Mei Ching, Region Head Asia Pacific, conveyed the importance of patient-centricity in “Best Practice Patient Advocacy in Asia Pacific.”
We attended the World Cancer Congress to raise awareness for our core mission – access to cancer treatment – and how to achieve it through our patient-centered model, Max Access Solutions.
We ran an interactive booth, where attendees made video recordings of their own answers to the question: what does treatment access mean to you?
We have received overwhelming responses from key members of the UICC, counterpart organizations, cancer survivors, advocates, doctors, and healthcare providers.
At this prestigious event – empowered by more than 3,000 leaders, cancer and health experts from 139 countries, and more than 85 years of history – our own Pat Garcia-Gonzalez was honored with the CEO Award. The award was given in recognition of The Max Foundation’s leadership and drive to mobilize people and build partnerships across sectors and borders, transforming a grassroots organization into an international movement impacting the tens of thousands of lives worldwide.
Below are some of the quotes we received:
“Cancer patients in the US, in Europe, in Asia, in Nigeria are the same cancer patients. The only difference is where they live. The advocacy should get through to everyone and the treatment should be affordable to everyone.”
Mr. Runcie C. W. Chidebe, Winner of World Cancer Day Spirit Award of UICC; Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre, Nigeria
“I have been following The Max Foundation through the website. Max has done great works in giving support to individuals living with cancer. How do I describe Max in one word? Passionate!”
Dr. Hadi Mohamad Abu Rasheed, Head of Professional Development and Scientific Research of Qatar Cancer Society, Qatar
“The Max Foundation is extraordinary and courageous despite the difficult environment. There are not many organization that can provide such niche supports to cancer communities. I would like to explore the opportunity of collaborating with Max to bring more benefits to cancer patients in Nigera.”
Professor Sani Abubakar Malami, President and CEO of Nigerian Cancer Society, Nigeria
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.
Launched in 2014, The Max Schooling Project (“Projek Sambung Sekolah” in Malay) enables the children of cancer patients to continue their educations and graduate from Form Five – the equivalent of high school in Malaysia.
In 2011, Carmen developed a fever that lasted for weeks and began losing weight rapidly. After multiple doctors, tests, and misdiagnoses, she finally discovered she had chronic myeloid leukemia. Carmen feared her life was over. She even went so far as to sew her own funeral dress.
Eventually, Carmen learned that her cancer could be managed through oral treatment, but the costs were prohibitive. Luckily her physician was a Max Foundation partner. She was able to enroll in our access program for imatinib at no cost, and all seemed well for a few years—until, that is, she stopped responding to her initial treatment.
Join us this summer in Malaysia! In July 2017, a team of partners, cancer survivors, and friends like you will join us from the USA, Malaysia, and beyond to embark on an adventure with a common goal: raising funds to carry out our work supporting cancer patients in Malaysia.
