Accelerating health equity for over 25 years
The Max Foundation is a leading global health nonprofit dedicated to accelerating health equity. It started as a small volunteer group with the goal of providing access to education and support to Latin American families affected by leukemia. Since its founding in 1997, The Max Foundation has pioneered practical, scalable, high-quality solutions to bring life-extending and patient-centered healthcare to more than 100,000 people in over 80 countries. Much has changed since then, but our mission remains the same – helping the most vulnerable patients no one else will.
Our mission is to accelerate health equity. We do this by delivering medication, technology, and services to patients facing cancer and other critical illnesses, focusing our energy on those no one else is helping.
Our vision is 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 hope.
1997
The Max Foundation is born – A small group of volunteers joined forces with a mission to help Latin American families whose children were diagnosed with leukemia gain access to education and support. They name their grassroots organization The Max Foundation to honor Maximiliano “Max” Rivarola, who passed away from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in 1991 at age 17.
2001
A breakthrough treatment – Imatinib (Glivec®), the first oral drug of its kind that kills CML cells is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer patients. This innovative treatment changed the natural course of the disease, turning CML from a deadly disease to a chronic condition. Before this breakthrough, CML patients were expected to live three to five years, depending on which stage they were diagnosed.
2001
Building a partnership – We partner with Novartis to develop and administer their Glivec® International Patient Assistance Program, a direct-to-patient international drug donation program providing cancer treatment (imatinib (Glivec®)) for patients in more than 70 low- and middle-income countries.
2008
A growing divide – A majority of CML patients taking imatinib and targeted therapies continue to see positive results and extend their lifespan. For those who become resistant to imatinib there are new, powerful oral medications that can be used as second- and third-line treatments with success. While many patients in the U.S. and high-income countries gain access to these highly effective treatments, a majority of patients and healthcare providers in low-income settings have yet to gain access to treat cancer patients.
2016
Bridging the gap – Five multinational pharmaceutical companies join our mission to give access to cancer treatment and quality care. Together, we form the Humanitarian Partnership for Access to Critical Treatment (Humanitarian PACT)—a commitment to providing access for patients who have no other means of receiving treatment.
2017
Expanding our work – We launch Max Access Solutions, the first global oncology model of its kind, offering a portfolio of cancer therapies, diagnostic solutions, and patient services with diverse partnerships that further aid patients with access to quality treatment and care.
2020
20 million daily doses – We celebrate surpassing 20 million daily doses of treatment delivered to patients worldwide since the launch of Max Access Solutions. Every dose is another day patients can face their cancer with dignity and hope.
Our Culture
“Our organization is rooted in a philosophy of people helping people. Our culture is one of belonging, love, and gratitude towards every individual associated with our work, be it a team member, an implementing partner, a donor, or a patient.”
-Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, CEO and Co-Founder
What drives us
We take a very human approach to every aspect of our work. We see patients, physicians, colleagues, partners, advocates, and donors as people first, and we support, learn from, and listen to one another. We move forward with urgency and a commitment to the lives of real people whom need help today.
Who we are
- Resourceful problem solvers
- Deeply connected to our mission
- Warm and compassionate toward each patient, partner, funder, donor, and all our colleagues
- Humble leaders, focused on impact
- Willing to learn and open to change
- Supportive team members, ready to collaborate and listen
Why we care
The Max Foundation is a fast-growing, ambitious, and deeply mission-driven nonprofit global health organization that believes in a world where:
- All people can access high-impact medicines
- Geography is not destiny
- Everyone can strive for health with dignity and with hope
We forge strong collaborations with like-minded individuals representing global health, medicine, and the healthcare industry, and those committed to our mission and values.
Our Team
Hailing from the communities we serve and speaking more than 35 languages, our global team ensures that The Max Foundation’s health initiatives are as inclusive as they are impactful. Our diverse expertise, backgrounds, and cultures enable us to better understand the unique needs of patients and their caregivers. List of our global team members.
Leadership Team
Our Leadership Team, which is mission-focused and responsible for strategy, finances, and management, includes executives from our headquarters in the U.S. and in regional offices around the world.
Inés García González
Region Head for Latin America
Mei Ching Ong
Region Head for Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Beena Narayanan
India Country Head
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is comprised of professionals dedicated to serving our mission. The Board provides governance and fiduciary oversight, along with guiding policy and assessment of organizational performance goals.
Robert Farmer
Honorary Board Member
Curt Malloy, JD, MPH
Board Chair; Chief Operating Officer at Cancer Research and Biostatistics (CRAB)
Jerald Radich, MD
Board Member; Professor; Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Graciela Mabel Woloj Rothstein
Secretary of the Board; Principal at MW Consulting
Maria Pia Ruffilli
Board Member; Former Senior Director International Public Affairs, Therapeutic Area Team, Team Leader at Pfizer
Edgar Thomas
Treasurer of the Board; Certified Public Accountant Co-Founder, COO – Avise Inc
