On April 7th, we celebrate the 45th annual World Health Day. Established by the World Health Organization to raise awareness for global health concerns, this observance reminds us to prioritize wellbeing for ourselves, and more importantly, to advocate for the health of one another.
At Oracle, we’re working to improve health globally and shape the future of healthcare through our technology, programs, and partnerships. This includes our social impact programs, which are helping bridge gaps in care, enable healthcare delivery, advance clinical research, and provide healing through community service.
Building healthier tomorrows through strong starts
At Oracle Health Foundation (the Foundation), we believe that all children deserve access to the healthcare they need, no matter their life circumstance, and we strive toward a world in which that’s the reality.
Since 1995, the Foundation has awarded $43M in pediatric grants to more than 18,000 children across 107 countries. These grants help remove financial barriers to care and create access to a wide range of clinical treatments and support. This includes life-saving organ transplants, funding for travel expenses to help families stay together during treatment, physical therapies, equipment like wheelchairs that let children safely explore the world around them, and much more.
After surgery to remove a thoracic spinal cord tumor, Blakely, a two-year old patient from Olathe, Kansas, required intensive therapy to regain her ability to walk.
“The grant removed a huge financial burden from my family,” says Chantel, Blakely’s mother. “We were stressed over how to pay for additional therapy out-of-pocket, after insurance ran out. When we heard the grant had been approved, we felt excited, relieved, and grateful.”
“The grant removed a huge financial burden from my family,” says Chantel, Blakely’s mother. “We were stressed over how to pay for additional therapy out-of-pocket, after insurance ran out. When we heard the grant had been approved, we felt excited, relieved, and grateful.”
In addition to providing relief and support for clinical needs, the Foundation empowers communities and schools with tools for proactive care, offering evidence-based programs from kindergarten through 12th grade. For elementary students, our wellness screenings cover hearing, vision, and vital signs, as well as head-to-toe assessments with parental consent. Our middle school social emotional-wellness program provides mental health support during the pivotal years of early adolescence. And, through the Foundation’s free healthy lifestyle curriculum for high schools, both teachers and students learn about healthy lifestyle choices that establish good habits for the future.
Annually, more than 35,000 children across 35 states in the U.S. participate in the Foundation’s programs. And, through our care kits program, we’re helping ensure that children facing difficult times—such as being placed in foster care—have basic necessities. Each year, we provide more than 10,000 bags of age-appropriate personal items—including toothbrushes, pajamas, and fresh clothes—to organizations who serve children in need, providing them comfort at a time when it’s needed most.
Compassionate philanthropy for comprehensive care
Fighting cancer, supporting access to healthcare, and enabling healthcare delivery—these are just some of the ways that Oracle Giving is investing globally to support health.
Our longstanding commitment to Bay Area Cancer Connections has helped thousands of individuals receive community-based cancer support in the form of medical information, practical support, and emotional resources. Our grants also provide critical screenings and diagnostic services to low-income, underinsured women and men at risk for breast cancer.
“How can I help? We base all our interactions on that question,” says Rina Bello, Executive Director of Bay Area Cancer Connections. “In that same spirit, support from Oracle helps us carry out our mission and achieve what might not be possible for us alone.”
“How can I help? We base all our interactions on that question,” says Rina Bello, Executive Director of Bay Area Cancer Connections. “In that same spirit, support from Oracle helps us carry out our mission and achieve what might not be possible for us alone.”
In India, Oracle’s annual grants to the Indian Cancer Society enable early detection and treatment through education, cancer screenings in vulnerable communities, and funding for therapies. Low-income patients recovering from cancer receive nutritional supplement kits along with education to aid in both their treatment and their recovery.
“Most of the patients, who come to us from all over the country, can’t afford two meals a day. In such cases, undergoing treatment is beyond their capacity,” says Ms. Kanchan Bannerjee Honorary Secretary at Indian Cancer Society. “By working together, our support can be a beacon of hope.”
Over the years, tens of thousands of patients with cancer have received help from these programs.
Oracle philanthropy also funds organizations whose work is essential to democratizing access to healthcare and advancing scientific research. In Nigeria, Riders for Health is doing just that. The organization is on a mission to deliver health care services in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa predictably, reliably, and cost effectively. Their work has strengthened healthcare delivery to over 20 states in Nigeria by providing medication for the treatment of polio, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as family planning.
“The biggest problems are distance and access due to rough terrain and road conditions,” says Ebrima Ceesay of Riders for Health. “Communities are often far from each other. We are reaching people in remote areas where care is hard to come by. We want to make sure we go to the last mile—to the farthest community in the country.”
Oracle’s grant to the organization will continue to help mobilize healthcare workers, enable vaccine distribution and storage, and expand data collection efforts across Nigeria.
Healing through community service
While philanthropy plays an important role in supporting health initiatives, the most valuable resource can often be time. Year round, Oracle Volunteers donate their time and much more to support the life-saving work of nonprofits that advance medical research and target specific health conditions. Their service takes many forms: donating blood, visiting care facilities, advancing health literacy, running marathons to raise money, and more.
For patients undergoing treatment in hospitals, visits with Oracle Volunteers lift spirits and provide much needed companionship. Activities, crafts, and games offer relief from intensive treatment protocols and hours spent in recovery. In Egypt, pediatric cancer patients spend time with Oracle Volunteers doing arts and crafts. In Brazil, women undergoing breast cancer treatment receive crocheted bags, hand-made by Oracle Volunteers themselves. Another group of Oracle Volunteers in Brazil make beanies for patients with brain palsy. And, for a project with Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, Oracle Volunteers produce fleece blankets for children receiving cancer care.
“When I talk to cancer patients, they discuss their fears, feelings, and health issues. I know how important it is to let them speak, because psychological recovery is a big part of their treatment,” says Kamal Peter, Principal Specialist, Oracle Volunteering & CSR, India. “As a cancer survivor myself, I can help make those conversations easier. Patients find it very comforting.”
“When I talk to cancer patients, they discuss their fears, feelings, and health issues. I know how important it is to let them speak, because psychological recovery is a big part of their treatment,” says Kamal Peter, Principal Specialist, Oracle Volunteering & CSR, India. “As a cancer survivor myself, I can help make those conversations easier. Patients find it very comforting.”
Oracle Volunteers also participate in projects that support clinical treatment, such as blood drives. This year alone, nearly 2,000 Oracle Volunteers across 9 countries participated in blood donations. Health literacy projects are another favorite of Oracle Volunteers who help to educate people about preventative care and cancer-related topics.
With rates of loneliness and isolation on the rise, community service, outreach, and the social connections they provide can be a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. And because healthier people are better able to care for others, it’s a virtuous circle. Whether through philanthropy, education, volunteerism, or simple acts of kindness—doing good can be therapeutic and can positively impact our health and the health of our community.