Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer at The Max Foundation, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“There are two days of the year that make me stop the frantic pace and urgency I feel to reach those who have no options because of the place they live.
One is October 19th, Max’s birthday. The other one is March 9th, the day he died after a three-year battle with leukemia.
On October 19th, I make a conscious choice to celebrate life: his, and the lives of all others whom I have met on this journey. What I am most proud of is that our actions tell them ‘We see you; your life matters, and you are not alone.’ I want October 19th, Max’s Day, to be a celebration of life and a day where we acknowledge our common humanity and the impact each life has on our families, our communities, and each other.
A few days ago, I lost a dear friend, Maria Caridad, from El Salvador. Her message had touched me years ago. She had shared that while she will forever be grateful for the medicine we were providing to keep her cancer at bay, what had really touched her heart was to know that someone cared about her. At age 36, she had never felt that anyone cared about her before. She passed this week. I am at peace knowing that for the last 20 years of her life, she knew that she was not alone.
Recently, I heard something that resonated with me: follow the data, not the headlines. The headlines might show a world where dark forces prevail. In reality, I know that in the heart of communities in every corner of the world are thousands of wonderful, generous, and loving people. I have been blessed to meet many of them and together we are The Max Foundation, a worldwide movement of people helping people.
Today, I am in Guatemala City with colleagues, physicians, volunteers, people with lived experience, and family members, all united, all the same, and with a generous spirit and joy for life. Access to treatment is access to life. In fact, 600,000 years of life – that is what The Max Foundation has given to the world.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to do this important work together and for Acting With Humanity every day. For Max, for Maria Caridad, and for so many others who deserve to live with dignity and with hope.
In honor of Max’s Day, I would love it if you would share a favorite story of people doing good today!
Additionally, you can find out how you can be part of this extraordinary movement here.”
More posts featuring Pat Garcia-Gonzalez.