I have learned that the pain in the heart and soul is deep and will always be there. The ‘bucket’ has a hole, and even when you dedicate every day of your life to making sure other families don’t have to live with this pain, the bucket will never be filled.
I have also learned that regardless of who you are and where in the world you live, the fear and anxiety of the diagnosis is universal. So is the pain of losing your loved one. The pain is even more deeply excruciating when we are left with the belief that had we had the resources, had we lived elsewhere, our loved one would still be with us. It is unbearable.
I have learned that it is actually possible to prevent many cancer deaths today. When we work together with a single focus on alleviating suffering and preventing premature death from cancer for patients who need help today, we can indeed save families from this tragedy. Through the work of The Max Foundation over 26 years, I continue to experience every day the amazing power of all of you who decided to step up and make a difference. I can recount story after story of individuals from all walks of life who have made it possible for more than 100,000 families to have extra time with their loved ones. Even if the bucket of our soul will never be fixed, the legacy and memory of our loved ones live through these families.
On this day of remembrance for Max, I want to honor the lives of all those who are not with us today, and whose memory inspires us to step up and make a difference. I invite you to share in the comments who you lost and how they inspire you.
May their soul rest in peace and may we continue to find the strength every day to honor their memory with our efforts.
Pat Garcia-Gonzalez
Pat Garcia-Gonzalez is the CEO of The Max Foundation. Under Pat’s direction The Max Foundation is dedicated to accelerating health equity by delivering medication, technology, and services to patients facing cancer and other critical illnesses, focusing our energy on those who no one else is helping. Pat lives in Edmonds, Washington, where she raised her four sons.
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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.
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….
