Friends of Max (FOM) was back in Jammu last weekend, for a Patient Support Group Meeting for CML and GIST patients and their families. The ‘Together we Share and Learn ’ gathering was held in Association with the Government Medical College, Jammu, on 11 April 2026.
FOM is grateful to The Max Foundation Team in India who support the organising of these meetings whole heartedly.
This meeting was especially meaningful, coming after our first meeting in 2023. On that occasion a special promise had been made to the patients, to open a medicine dispensation outlet in Jammu itself.
Today that promise stands fulfilled, saving patients hours of difficult travel to Chandigarh, Ludhiana or Delhi.
It was particularly significant for Viji Venkatesh, Managing Trustee FOM who had witnessed first-hand the challenges faced by patients and their families in 2023 regarding access to medicines and the burden of travel. It was indeed a pleasure to be back in the city on the kind invitation of Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Professor & Principal – Government Medical College, Jammu. Accompanying her was Priyanka Kubal, Regional Program Manager, The Max Foundation.
It was a day well spent with double the participation and a full room with patients and caregivers spending their time listening, sharing and learning from one another, along with two deeply insightful sessions by our medical experts. A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Ashutosh Gupta and team including Dr. Sunny Jandyal, Dr. Nadeem Shoket, Dr. Richu Sharma, Dr. Abdul Hakim and to Dr. Shyam Aggarwal, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, for taking the time to speak with such clarity about the importance of monitoring in managing CML.
One of the most important highlights of the meeting was the strong presence of caregivers, standing shoulder to shoulder with patients.
The presence of our City Chapter Leaders, Vir Krishan Bhat, Surinder, Asha and her daughter Prakriti, Yash Sharma, Abdul Lateef, Gulfam and so many more, all showing up, setting aside their own responsibilities, just to be there for the community was heart warming.
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