MLP Thrive Manifesto

Our manifesto: A call for change

Cancer wants to disempower us. It tells us that either it is in control or the doctors are in control, but we—patients and families—are just bystanders. Unfortunately, much of our healthcare system reinforces this sense of disempowerment. As we "fight" cancer, it is too easy to feel that we are just a battlefield and have little power over the war's outcome. For children, it is worse because the late effects of cancer treatment persist for decades, disempowering survivors for a lifetime.

But it doesn't have to be that way. As the #1 disease killer of children, cancer is cruel and unpredictable. But children and families have more power than they know. Today there are dozens of evidence-based integrative therapies that can make patients stronger, healthier, and more resilient in treatment and beyond. From the food we eat, to the exercise and sleep we get, to the moods and emotions we cultivate, we have the power to thrive in the face of cancer, its treatments, and its persistent effects.

Our healthcare system can do better. Although more children than ever are surviving cancer, long-term survivorship is still marked by high levels of chronic disease and lower quality of life. Yet few resources exist to help families engage in healthy behaviors — such as cooking whole foods, exercise, healthy sleep habits, and social support — that have been shown to reduce chronic disease risk and boost quality of life. MaxLove Project was founded to fill this behavioral health void. We’re dedicated to family-driven, evidence-based behavioral health solutions in every aspect of pediatric healthcare.

Too often, the standard of care for most life-limiting illnesses does not include essential integrative therapies. Because of this, MaxLove Project is helping families thrive alongside conventional treatments today as we work to change the system of tomorrow. We are a community of dedicated change makers who believe in the power of integrative health care for all children.