On November 1, 2019, the first shipment of treatment arrived at the hospital in Maputo, Mozambique. This is the first country Max Access Solutions, The Max Foundation’s patient-centered access model, has expanded into without a former access program in place.
“The Max Access Solutions provides hope in the form of innovative cancer treatment in neglected regions of the world,” says Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, CEO of The Max Foundation. “Today we reached a new frontier and I am deeply grateful to all who made it possible.”
In the beginning of 2018, Cathy Scheepers, The Max Foundation’s Region Head of Africa & Middle East visited the hospital in Maputo and learned of over 100 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who were unable to access treatment. The only way patients could access treatment was to travel to South Africa, a challenging day of travel. Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, and for the majority of people living there, traveling to find treatment was simply not an option.
“Over 100 patients who have had a five-year life expectancy now have access to live normal lives.” says Cathy. “We’re changing not only the physician and patient perspectives, but also the broader community perspective that cancer is not always a death sentence. There is hope if you have access to treatment.”
Thank you to all who made access to treatment in Mozambique a reality: the passionate donors, physicians in Maputo, Humanitarian PACT partner Novartis, advisors, and The Max Foundation’s global team members. Everyone involved worked tirelessly to expand the scope of Max Access Solutions into the hands of those awaiting treatment, and now, patients have the chance to spend more days with their families, communities, and loved ones.