Around the world in 15 days

In the past few weeks, I embarked on a unique journey across the world to meet with patients, families, care givers, patient organisations, doctors, healthcare professionals, healthcare innovators and medical teams.

For fifteen days, I travelled across three continents and experienced eight different zones. My first stop was in the United Arab Emirates, followed by The Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. I then travelled to the US where I made stops in California, New York and Boston, before finally returning to Amsterdam.

Throughout my travels, I heard incredibly inspiring stories, stories that I will hold very dear to my heart and that will serve as a constant reminder of why I chose the path I am on.

I laughed and I cried with patients and their loved ones. I was excited to speak with their treating doctors who fought for their patients’ rights to access elsewhere approved medicines. I was reminded that we are all the same,  regardless of borders, culture and nationality. We all love life and we want to live it to the fullest. We are not taking life for granted.

I also felt inspired and motivated by the meetings I had with peers, innovators and change makers. All of whom are also on a mission to shift the paradigm of the current healthcare system in other equally important ways.

This experience allowed me to learn and dream. Most importantly, it gave me more determination than ever to see our goals come to fruition.

I have no doubt in my mind that TheSocialMedwork’s role is a crucial one. One that will bridge the gap between every possible stakeholder within the healthcare world. One that will change how health treatments, technology and information are shared, stored and used everywhere in the world.

This experience has been incredibly rewarding and it has emphasised again and again how fundamentally important our mission is, and why we do what we do. Why we strive every day to create a more streamlined process to help patients everywhere access the latest treatments they need. Why we are relentless and unapologetic in standing for what we believe is just.

We are slowly starting to build the much awaited for healthcare ecosystem. We need to keep going and to adamantly keep connecting with everyone that is interested in building a better and brighter future with us. From patients, their loved ones and their treating doctors to healthcare innovators and disruptors, everyone is invited.

If you feel like learning more about my world tour, make sure to read my upcoming articles where I will be sharing the stories of all the amazing patients I had the honor of meeting.

Thanks for reading!

-S