LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), an independent charitable organization whose mission is to improve global health, recently announced a $1 million donation to the Patient Advocate Foundation. The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) is a national 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that provides professional case management services and financial assistance free of charge to Americans with chronic, life threatening, and debilitating illnesses.
The $1 million donation from the BMS Foundation will enable PAF to expand its nationally recognized case management program. For nearly 30 years, PAF case managers have provided direct support to patients living with chronic and critical illnesses and their families. PAF assists in helping to manage healthcare access challenges, as well as insurance and affordability, with an intentional commitment to vulnerable and medically underserved communities.
PAF case managers help patients and their families maintain access to prescribed healthcare services and medications, navigate insurance barriers, find resources to support cost-of-living expenses during treatment, evaluate and sustain health insurance coverage, apply for disability and manage or reduce out-of-pocket medical and living expenses. In FY2025, PAF’s case management provided direct support and intervention to 13,551 individuals, collectively living with 773 unique diseases, making 30 contacts per case to bring resolution and securing over $17 million in debt relief.
In honor of Global Patient Week at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), an annual, week-long event honoring inspiring patients who are at the heart of the missions of both BMS and the BMS Foundation, the BMS Foundation made a donation to the Patient Advocate Foundation, to help improve access to essential care for patients.
“The BMS Foundation’s donation to the Patient Advocate Foundation reflects our deep commitment to increasing access to care for those who need it most,” said Catharine Grimes, President of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. “By strengthening PAF’s capacity to help patients and caregivers navigate complex healthcare systems, we are empowering more people to overcome barriers to care and treatment. This partnership exemplifies the spirit of Global Patient Week—placing patients at the heart of our mission and advancing health equity through compassion, advocacy, and action.”
“We are honored to be the recipient of this impactful donation,” said Fran Castellow, MSEd, President, Operations of Patient Advocate Foundation. “The generous support from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation will have a profound impact on PAF’s ability to expand our support to patients and families in need of case management support. Each year, we receive more than twice the number of requests for case management assistance than we are able to support. This funding will help us close that gap—enabling us to deliver critical case management services and personalized support to more individuals facing serious health challenges who need help navigating access and affordability challenges that threaten their health outcomes and overall well-being.”
The BMS Foundation’s vision is to ensure that all people, regardless of where they live, can achieve their best possible health. They are committed to establishing strategic partnerships to build strong, sustainable local healthcare systems, ultimately transforming how care is delivered and helping to ensure improved health now and in the future.
