The Max Foundation (Max) and Friends of Max (FOM) proudly announce the formalization of their long standing collaboration supporting people living with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) in India. The two organizations signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the recent Friends of Max 2015 Leadership Summit attended by Max CEO, Pat Garcia-Gonzalez in Hyderabad on April 19th.
Viji Venkatesh, Max’s Head of India shares an historical perspective, “In 2003, leaders of Max’s team in India and community leaders agreed to collaborate on providing free support services to families affected by CML and GIST in the country. This collaboration resulted in the formation of Friends of Max, a Charitable Trust registered with the Charities Commissioner’s Office in Mumbai. Today, we celebrate our MOU signing to enable greater support to people living with CML and GIST across the country.”
Pat Garcia-Gonzalez of Max remarks, “Since its inception, Friends of Max has served as the patient support arm of The Max Foundation. We are a united force. We are grateful for our partnership of so many years and full of hope as we look ahead to how much we can accomplish together.”
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.
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….
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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.
