Farming has long been at the heart of Narayan’s life in India. The fields that stretch around his village in Parbhani, Maharashtra, have not only provided a livelihood for his family but have shaped generations of hard work, resilience, and hope. Together, he and his son cultivate soybeans and cotton, tending the land that continues to sustain their family.
“Farming keeps me active and gives me a sense of purpose,” says Narayan, who is living with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). “Even after everything I have gone through with my CML treatment, being able to continue spending time on the farm gives me great satisfaction.”
The rhythm of Narayan’s life is now marked by harvests, family gatherings, and precious moments with his grandchildren. These may appear to be simple, everyday joys, but for Narayan, they carry a deeper meaning. Each one is a reminder of a future that once seemed uncertain before he was connected with treatment and financial support through The Max Foundation (Max).
Years ago, when Narayan was diagnosed with CML, the life he had built around his family and farm was suddenly disrupted. The diagnosis brought more than concerns about his health. Like many farming families, his household relied on a modest and often unpredictable income. As the costs associated with treatment began to grow, so did the pressure on the family.
Continuing treatment came at a steep cost. As expenses mounted, Narayan exhausted his savings and ultimately made a sacrifice any farming families would ever want to face: he sold some of his land. For a farmer whose livelihood and sense of purpose were rooted in the soil, the decision was deeply painful.
“Making such a sacrifice for treatment showed us how much financial pressure a serious illness can put on a family”, he says.
The burden extended far beyond medicines. Living with CML meant regular physician visits, medical tests, travel, and ongoing monitoring. While any one of these expenses may have seemed manageable on their own, together they created a financial strain that followed the family month after month, year after year. He found himself constantly balancing the cost of healthcare against the everyday needs of his family.
“My biggest concern was always: How will I continue my treatment without putting an even greater burden on my family?”, he says.
It was during this period that Narayan learned about The Max Foundation, offering him and his family renewed hope for the future. He was among 16,884 patients who benefitted from Max’s social support services, such as transportation assistance, across 34 countries in 2025.
“When we came to know about The Max Foundation,” he says, “it felt like we had found a ray of hope during a very difficult period of our lives.”
Access to treatment support eased one of the family’s biggest worries. More than that, it helped restore a sense of confidence that they would not have to face the journey alone. The financial pressure that had weighed heavily on the family for so long finally began to lift, allowing them to focus less on how they would afford care and more on what lay ahead.
Nearly two decades later, Narayan can look beyond the uncertainty that once overshadowed his path forward. He looks ahead to another harvest season, more time on the farm alongside his son, and family gatherings filled with stories and laughter.
“Their laughter and the time we spend together give me energy and make me feel positive,” Narayan says. “I am able to enjoy the simple moments of family life instead of thinking about my disease.”
Narayan’s story is a reminder that the impact of cancer extends beyond diagnosis. For many families, the challenge is not only accessing treatment but remaining connected to care over the long term. Tests, travel, consultations, and regular monitoring can place additional strain on households already working hard to make ends meet. When financial hardship becomes a barrier to healthcare, families can find themselves facing impossible choices.
Today, when Narayan thinks about tomorrow, he no longer thinks only about illness.
He thinks about possibility.
He sees another season in the fields beside his son.
He sees his two grandchildren growing a little taller each year.
“As I see my grandchildren growing up,” he says, “I feel proud and grateful that I have been able to be there for them and watch these important moments of their lives.”
You can show support to Narayan and others in need of accessing treatment by making a donation.
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.
Each year, The Max Foundation chooses a colleague to receive our Excellence in Patient Advocacy Award, honoring a member of our global team who has done something especially remarkable that year. On December 17th, we were delighted to present this year’s Excellence in Patient Advocacy Award to Viji Venkatesh, Region Head for South Asia, for her tireless dedication to the patients she serves.
In Vietnam, due to the lack of specialist in rural areas, a significant number of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with minimal cash in hand must travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers to reach the hospitals in the city. The expenses for the trip itself is already a challenge for many patients let alone the cost of treatment. But today, there are numerous CML survivors who directly benefit from The Max Foundation’s patient access program to receive their cancer treatment at no cost. A living testimony to the success of our program is Lan.
In July, we are kicking off the second year of Chai for Cancer USA, a fundraising campaign that expands access to treatment for people facing cancer in India. For 6 weeks, South Asia Region Head Viji Venkatesh will travel across the country to meet with our friends and supporters, bringing together our community in support….
