This year, like past years, 16 patient support groups in Africa and Middle East have joined the Maximize Life Campaign with enthusiasm and excitement. All the groups in Africa welcome back our friends from Sierra Leone who inspired us all with their resilience in the face of the Ebola epidemic that touched their country.
The month of October has become synonymous with a month where advocacy, disease information, and the fight against the stigma of cancer is at the frontline in the region. Many of the campaign events have invited local medial to increase the reach and visibility of the local support groups. Members of the groups have used their social media platforms to let the world know they are alive and living well with CML because they have access to treatment.
Patient leaders from Africa are taking to the airways during Maximize life to call on their local governments to get involved and increase access to treatment and monitoring tests for all cancer patients. Support group members are openly sharing their stories. Members want to educate their community on the importance of early cancer detection and treatment. They especially want to show that it is possible to be a productive member of society when one has access to treatment.
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.
During this Thanksgiving holiday in the US, we take time to reflect and give thanks with family and friends. We extend a most heartfelt thank you to our donors, partners, our global team, and community. Each of you is part of our patients’ journey, and we are thankful for your support and friendship. We look forward to continuing our journey together, and hope you will continue to follow our patients’ journeys in the coming year.
Meet Melisa! She’s been with The Max Foundation since 2015, working as a Program Officer 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….
I cannot imagine how hard it must have been to raise a family of six with a minimum educational background, as a sole provider for the family. I have the privilege of working with so many patients in Cambodia, I get to hear different story, life experiences. Every story is unique. Every day, I am….
