Viji Venkatesh
Viji Venkatesh brings with her 30 years of professional experience in cancer patient care and support in her role as Country Head India at The Max Foundation.
Viji began with The Max Foundation in 2001 by leading the administration of the Glivec International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP) in India. Today, in addition to GIPAP, she has a key role in the management of the local Novartis Oncology Access Program (NOA). During the last ten years alongside these access programs, she has developed the Friends of Max (FOM) patient support group, which began in Mumbai and now has fifteen local chapters throughout India with over 150 core group volunteer leaders representing more than 16,000 members..
Through the years, Viji has served many community leadership roles in the cancer care arena; including her time as the Asia Coordinator for the International Union against Cancer (UICC) where she developed and led symposiums, workshops and learning programs. She was also instrumental in help setting up the Preventive Oncology Department at Tata Memorial Hospital in 1991, where she has contributed to the renowned institute as an active member of its Ethics Committee.
She is also one of the Executive Committee members of the Marrow Donor Registry India and the Terry Fox India Committee. She is a Trustee of the Being Human Foundation as well as the Friends of Max Charitable Trust.
In 2009, Viji was awarded the Scroll of Honor for her outstanding contribution in the field of Social Service from the Health Minister of Bihar at the World Cancer Day Celebration in Patna, India.
Viji lives in Mumbai, India with her husband and travels regularly to see her family spread across the globe.
Abstracts this author is presenting: