Meet Steven! He’s been with The Max Foundation since 2025, working as a Program Coordinator in our India region. Learn more about why he started with the organization, what his work week looks like, and a special memory he had with a patient.
What drew you to join The Max Foundation, and why does our mission resonate with you?
It has always been my dream to serve the community and be a catalyst to empower individuals. The mission and vision of The Max Foundation highlights that each life is valuable and should be treated with respect and dignity which reinforced my desire to contribute to this meaningful cause.
What is a special memory you have with patients?
Something that I found mesmerizing was the energy and the enthusiasm every individual brings. The lives and testimonies that patients shared in my individual conversations with them through the interactions in the office, patient support group meetings and phone calls felt truly empowering.
Seeing them grow and achieve greatness despite their conditions changed my perception of the willpower and strength that each human being carries despite the challenges they face in life.
I remember meeting a patient during our recently concluded patient support group meeting in Kerala who said, “These meetings fill me with great joy as I get to personally meet the ones who have been my constant source of support,” which greatly encouraged me.
Describe a typical work week
My typical work week involves completing the review calls for the Day-by-Day program, attending patient calls and addressing queries, clinic visits and collaborating with colleagues through teleconference discussions. Toward the end of the week, I review my organizational and personal progress, carry out follow ups for low priority or pending tasks and complete my weekly activities.
If you could describe The Max Foundation in three words, what would they be?
1. Refuge 2. Beacon 3. Anchor
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
One of the skills I consider valuable would be the capacity to master and comprehend all languages and dialects, helping me communicate effortlessly with people from diverse backgrounds and facilitating meaningful connections from people around the globe.
What languages do you speak?
I can speak English, Hindi, Marathi, and Malayalam
What do you love most about where you live?
It gives me access to a plethora of my favorite restaurants and hangout spots. It’s convenient, has variety, and makes spending time with loved ones more enjoyable.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
Going out for long drives, hanging out with my friends, and playing board games with my family.
What’s your favorite food?
I am unequivocally a “pizza” person.
If you could have dinner with someone famous, who would it be?
I believe it would be Robin Williams as I enjoyed his movies, a man who knows how to balance humor and emotion would be nice to have a casual yet meaningful conversation with.
What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it?
Christmas is my favorite holiday because it brings family and friends together for get-togethers, activities, and long-awaited celebrations. The joy of spending quality time with loved ones, participating in festive traditions, and enjoying the warmth of togetherness makes this holiday truly special.
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.
This year, each of us had to learn how to support one another amid a global pandemic. In these difficult times, our mental and physical health have been tested and finding daily comforts is critical to our health. As each of us has taken steps to avoid infecting ourselves and reducing the risk of infecting….
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.
Un Paso Max, meaning “Un Paso Mas” (One More Step) is a fitting name for a group led by cancer survivors who are willing to take an extra step to help others. Un Paso Max is the name of the CML and GIST patient association in the Dominican Republic. One can trace the origins of this group to a small meeting in 2008. It only took a bit of encouragement and support on the part of The Max Foundation to unlock the passion of a handful of courageous survivors in Santo Domingo, and the seed of a patient association was planted.
