The Max Foundation is proud to announce CEO, Pat Garcia-Gonzalez as the recipient of the National Cancer Institute Global Cancer Medicine Humanitarian Award at the U.S. National Cancer Institute 3rd Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research held in Boston on 25 March 2015.
In the award letter from the National Cancer Institute(NCI), Dr. Edward L. Trimble, MD, MPH, Director of the NCI’s Center for Global Health writes about Pat: “Our global cancer community has been inspired by your outstanding contributions to advancing cancer care equity through The Max Foundation, and as recognition of that work, we would like to honor you.”
Dr. Trimble continues, “Not only have your efforts saved numerous lives, but, to paraphrase Donald Berwick, your contributions go beyond health metrics and health indicators— your contributions will allow mothers and fathers to attend graduations and weddings they would have missed, and grandchildren to know grandparents they might never have known, and holidays will be taken, and work completed, and books read, and symphonies heard, and gardens tended that, without your work, would never have been.”
In response to the award, Pat has said, “I am humbled, excited and honored by the recognition given to me thanks to NCI’s Center for Global Health. I see this moment as an opportunity to tell the world about the great collaborations that have made my work possible, as well as a chance to reinforce our collective responsibility around creating solutions to increase global access to treatment, care and support for people living with cancer around the world.”
This is the first Global Cancer Medicine Humanitarian Award to be given at the NCI’s Symposium.
The Max Foundation (Max) is a global health nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity. For more than 25 years, Max has pioneered practical, scalable, high-quality solutions to bring lifesaving 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. Learn more at www.themaxfoundation.org
This Thanksgiving holiday, we are grateful for 20 years of support from our global community.
Thanks to each and every one of you for all you have done to bring dignity and hope to people facing cancer around the world.
Click through our photo gallery to see some of our favorite moments of the year so far. Happy Thanksgiving!
Celebrated across the United States on the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, it is a time for family; a time for reflection and gratitude; a moment to take stock of what we have. As all of us prepare to either travel back home or to receive our family members in our homes, we are reminded that the most valuable thing we have is each other.
Three years ago I made a decision that changed my life: to donate my birthday to support the work of The Max Foundation for as long as I have birthdays to come. Ever since I have been involved with The Max Foundation, every day I am witness to the courage of people faced with cancer, the generosity of spirit of those who become patient leaders, and the dedication of healthcare providers around the world. Join me today by honoring their efforts on my birthday, July 28th.
