Meet Karen! She’s been with The Max Foundation since 2024, working as a Program Coordinator in our Latin America region. Learn more about why she started with the organization, what her work week looks like, and a special memory she had with a patient.
What drew you to join The Max Foundation, and why does our mission resonate with you?
What motivated me to join The Max Foundation was knowing that I could contribute in my own small way to helping other people, and that my daily work would have a different purpose from anything I had done before: making a positive impact on someone’s life.
What is a special memory you have with patients?
One special memory I have is when I attended my first patient meeting in El Salvador, shortly after I started working at The Max Foundation. I hadn’t been talking with the patients for very long, but when I met them, I felt such a warm welcome and so much gratitude, even though they barely knew me. It was truly a joy for my heart.
Describe a typical work week
If you could describe The Max Foundation in three words, what would they be?
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
Conflict resolution
What languages do you speak?
What do you love most about where you live?
I really like that it’s a country where you can go from the beach to the forest and enjoy nature.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
I really enjoy spending time with my family, being together, and going out for walks.
What’s your favorite food?
Pasta, any kind
If you could have dinner with someone famous, who would it be?
Chris Hemsworth
What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it?
I love celebrating birthdays, both mine and my family’s. I really enjoy doing something fun and making the most of that day.
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.
October is my favorite month of the year. It marks a changing of the seasons in both the southern and northern hemispheres that brings a sense of reflection and excitement. As such, there could not be a more appropriate month to celebrate theMaximize Life Global Cancer Awareness Campaign, an initiative that encourages people impacted by cancer to reflect on their experiences, celebrate their resiliency, and share their stories with the world.
The Indian subcontinent has always been characterized by the stoic inner strength of its population that has helped them overcome natural and man-made disasters that seem to always be lying in wait for them. Burdened by their large populations, poor economy and the inept administration of their largely unstable governments, it has fallen upon the people to come to their own rescue.
And it is not so different for their health either. Besides the share of debilitating infectious diseases, many are facing a rising incidence of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer. The challenges here go beyond funding. There is fear, denial, and the heavy burden of stigma.
Meet Nor Aina! She’s been with The Max Foundation for 15 years, working as an HR and Admin Officer for our Asia and Eastern Europe region. Learn more about why she started with the organization, what she enjoys about her job, and a special memory she had with a patient. When did you start with….
