At BMS, we are committed to putting patients first - and that commitment extends to patients and caregivers within our very organization. Each year, as a reflection of this commitment, we host Global Patient Week, an initiative that connects employees with patients and celebrates inspiring individuals and the roles that they play in their personal battles against disease. In recognition of initiatives like Global Patient Week, two employees on different sides of the globe shared their deeply personal stories about how cancer has impacted their lives. In Europe, Axel Spring, Senior Director of Worldwide Oncology in Boudry, Switzerland, offered his experiences as a caregiver to his late wife, Christine. In the United States, Joti Sidhu, Senior Director, IT for Global Product Supply in New Brunswick, NJ, shared her perspective as a cancer patient. Together, Axel and Joti represent the courage and perseverance at the very heart of Global Patient Week.
Axel, we understand you have very personal experiences with cancer. Please share a special memory about your family that makes you smile.
Cancer has taken away two of the most important women in my life: my mother, Pierrette, who I lost 17 years ago, and my wife, Christine, who I lost 2 years ago. In the midst of the anxiety and chaos that cancer throws into our lives, there are always moments of laughter or peace. Such moments barely get noticed in a cancer-free situation, but they gain an incredible value as a cancer patient or a caregiver. I have countless memories of watching my late wife play with our daughter, smiling at them, and momentarily forgetting that cancer was a part of our lives.
Joti, what first inspired you and a colleague at BMS to launch the Cancer Support Network (CSN)?
When I was first diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 2018, it came as a complete surprise. I had never been exposed to first or secondhand smoke. I was up to date on all my health visits and had no indications. In the beginning, I wanted nothing to do with my diagnosis, and only shared it with my inner circle. Then, I crossed paths with a trusted colleague who was recovering from cancer; we offered each other support. And the more we spoke, we knew that so many people within BMS were also going through similar patient or caregiver journeys. However, an internal trusted group dedicated to ensuring all employees impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by community, sustained by hope and do not feel alone or isolated in their personal life or in the workplace did not yet exist. That’s when the idea for the Cancer Support Network (CSN) was born.
How has CSN evolved since it first officially launched in 2020?
When we first started, we were a handful of people in a conference room at our Lawrenceville, NJ campus. Today, we are a global network that touches almost 450 members. Over the years, we’ve shared valuable knowledge through educational support programs and presentations, conducted internal networking support groups/discussion forums, and increased accessibility to internal information by bringing in industry experts and external partners to support our BMS colleagues who are impacted by cancer – as caregivers and as patients.
When I was diagnosed, my twin children were in middle school. Managing a disease that is so unpredictable, while continuing to have a career and raise a family, is a challenge beyond words. CSN is there to ensure that all BMS employees impacted by cancer know that they are not alone in the workplace.
Axel, what role has CSN played in your caregiver journey?
I joined CSN in 2021, as I felt the need to tell our story and to find ways of supporting my fellow colleagues impacted by cancer. CSN has provided me with an internal trusted support group, educational resources and a discussion platform that continues to assist me through my own unique journey.
Recently, we launched a CSN chapter in our Boudry, Switzerland location. We are a group of voluntary BMS employees with a special interest in supporting our colleagues who are impacted by cancer. Currently, we are developing resources for patients and caregivers, and will shortly organize a lunch and learn with a guest speaker from a patient association, as well as small discussion groups.
How does your work at BMS support our mission to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases?
In my worldwide oncology commercial role, I contribute to the development, launch and strategy of new compounds, as well as serve as the key point of contact for more than 40 BMS affiliate commercial teams around the world for GI, GU and Melanoma indications. I try to make sure that my fellow colleagues have access to everything they need to make our compounds available to patients in their countries as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Joti, what does the BMS mission and commitment to advancing BMS’ oncology pipeline mean for patients and family members who are impacted by cancer?
In all of this, one remark I commonly hear is that I don't “look like a cancer patient.” But what does a cancer patient look like? I proudly say I work for a company that is changing the face of cancer patients.
Our work has a sense of purpose and urgency, so that new potential drug targets can be discovered. The innovation that BMS is choosing to invest in gives hope to patients and caregivers. Each of us is instrumental in our work to directly impact and extend patient lives and the lives of their families. We need to come to work with a sense of urgency, as our patients and their families are waiting. Patients like me and families like mine are waiting.
