[vc_video link=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSbC8UEsBXE’]
Thousands of patients are diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) annually around the world. CML, like any other cancer, does not discriminate. It affects people from all regions and walks of life. However, unlike many other cancers, CML has an amazing story due to advancements made in its treatment in the last decade. It was only 15 years ago that a patient newly diagnosed with CML would have a prognosis of survival of less than 5 years with the treatments available at the time.
The story of CML goes hand in hand with how lives can be changed even in remote areas of the world once patients have access to the latest treatment, regardless of affordability. Each one of the three cancer survivors and advocates featured in the video want you to know that life and survival is dear to all, regardless of where you are from. They tell their individual stories of survival and are able to share it with us because they were given the gift of life when they so needed it. Now, they are able to give of themselves to other patients. Today we will be sharing the powerful stories of how access to treatment, especially in remote areas, can change the course of the relationship between disease and patient. We invite you to listen to these stories and call on you to join us and urge your respective governments to lay the pathway for access to treatment for all cancer patients and give the gift of life, hope and dignity that every patient deserves.
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.
Surviving cancer in countries that lack the support and care, the word empowerment is not in patients’ dictionaries. But if we could increase the access to treatment and care in these countries, can we turn the tables?
Un Paso Max, meaning “Un Paso Mas” (One More Step) is a fitting name for a group led by cancer survivors who are willing to take an extra step to help others. Un Paso Max is the name of the CML and GIST patient association in the Dominican Republic. One can trace the origins of this group to a small meeting in 2008. It only took a bit of encouragement and support on the part of The Max Foundation to unlock the passion of a handful of courageous survivors in Santo Domingo, and the seed of a patient association was planted.
All of us at The Max Foundation are wholly committed to maximizing every opportunity to collaborate and build new partnerships on behalf of the patients we serve in low resource settings. We are excited to move onward to a new chapter with innovative opportunities to expand our impact. We hope you will see a place for yourself to join us in this effort to close the cancer divide!
