People living with cancer deserve access to holistic treatment, including support, education, and the opportunity to connect with others in a similar situation. That’s why The Max Foundation and its partners offer more than just medicine.
Sandra from Chile started participating in our treatment adherence program, Day by Day, after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). She’s been living with the disease for almost a decade now.
“I had barely started sailing in calm waters after overcoming thyroid and breast cancers, when I was immersed in a new storm,” she said. “The CML was an unexpected challenge that tested my resilience.”
The first and second medications Sandra tried had intense and sometimes painful side effects. She’s now on a third-line therapy and responding well.
The Day by Day program helps people manage their treatment plan so they stay on track. Services include monthly phone calls to offer solutions and emotional support, educational materials like brochures, and workshops for patients and their families.
Sandra also receives support from her family, which helps her maintain a positive attitude. Her day starts by taking her four nephews to school before working online for an IT company. She also spends all the time she can with her father and daughters.
“My home has been my refuge,” Sandra said. “I live with my youngest daughter, Catalina, and the father of my daughters, Reinaldo, who have been my fundamental pillar. Together we have faced the ups and downs of this disease.”
Over time, Sandra has learned to adapt to the changes in her body and find new ways to enjoy life. That includes photography, reiki, volunteering, and watching movies. She also takes time to meet and comfort others living with cancer.
“My message is that regardless of diagnosis, it is possible to live a full and meaningful life,” Sandra said. “To all those who are fighting this disease, I say that you are not alone and that there is hope.”
The Max Foundation is a leading global health nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating health equity. For 27 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.
September 22 is World CML Day! Our Region Head Mei Ching Ong caught up with our partner physician in Armenia to talk about the importance of this day and bridging access to treatment and care for CML patients worldwide.
We’ve already seen lots of activity around the world this spring: The first gastrointestinal stromal tumor patient meeting in Hyderabad, India; storytelling workshops where people facing cancer learn to share their experience with dignity and hope; and the Malaysia patient team takes their gathering public with a great picnic! See what else has been happening at The Max Foundation during the first part of 2016.
In Guatemala, there are 14,200 new cases of cancer a year and from this amount 9,100 people die of cancer or 64.7%. Most of these diagnoses could have been prevented or better treated if diagnosed early. In Guatemala only the persons who have access to the national social security plan have free services and treatment, but poor quality and lack of medications or in most occasions. People who do not have social security have to pay for health services and for medications. As per statistics taken from Globocan 2008, the most common cancers in Guatemala are prostate, cervix, stomach, breast and lung cancers.
