Our Patient Advocate of the Month for April 2021 is Mr Mohankumar N. M.
Mohankumar grew up in a place called Nilambur in Malappuram, Kerala. He was born and raised in a joint family, along with two sisters and a brother. His father was a contractor and mother, a home maker.
Mohankumar has always harboured a creative side to him. In his early days, he was extremely interested in drawing. After his secondary education in Kerala, he completed his Junior Diploma Course and worked as a welder in a private company.
In 2007, Mohankumar was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. He was a patient under Dr Narayan Kutty Warrier at the Kozhikode Medical College. In need of guidance and support, he was informed by his doctor about The Max Foundation Assistance Programme and their support group, Friends of Max and advised to join it.
This was the beginning of his long and fruitful association with our organization. Mohankumar soon found himself attending each and every FOM meeting in Kerala.
He has always been an active participant in FOM activities and even contributes in whatever capacity he can through the Chai for Cancer fundraising campaign. When asked if he has any special experience that he would like to share, he proudly says, “Each and every FOM gathering has been a special experience for me.”
Mohankumar runs a small and happy household today. He lives with his mother, his wife, Santhi, who is a home maker, and two young daughters who are pursuing their academic interests.
He has a simple yet powerful message for everyone who is struggling with Cancer, “In my own experience, I have come to realise that the best medicine to fight cancer is our own will-power.”
