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Posted by: The Sumaira Foundation in News & Announcements
December 3, 2024 – The Sumaira Foundation (TSF) is pleased to welcome Letitia Annamalay to our leadership team as International Ambassador Liaison. Letitia will be overseeing TSF’s Ambassador Program in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. As of December 2024, the Foundation is proud to call 85 patients, caregivers and clinicians from 30+ countries Ambassadors of TSF.
Letitia’s journey with NMOSD began in December 2017 at 20 years old, just as she completed her bachelors of commerce in marketing degree. She had plans to pursue a marketing internship and was looking forward to the next chapter of her life and all of the excitement and freedom it would bring.
After her initial attack, her family holiday turned into a shocking and traumatic month-long hospital stay. She went on to spent months in and out of hospitals, being evaluated by a variety of specialists who performed a plethora of tests and prescribed a multitude of medications. Letitia was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and NMOSD at the same time. Needless to say, Letitia’s work turned upside down and her life changed forever.
“I had a lobe of my thyroid removed due to the cancer and shortly after, I started Rituximab to treat the neuromyelitis optica. In fact, my NMOSD diagnosis came as pure luck and a surprise to everyone involved, given how rare the condition is worldwide. Once I was ready to learn more about my condition, I began engaging with The Sumaira Foundation’s content and was eager to know more,” Letitia recounts. “I went from believing and feeling like I was the only person in the world affected by this disease to being introduced to an entire community of people who were fighting the same battle.”
Letitia joined the Foundation as Ambassador of South Africa in 2020 making her the first international Ambassador of TSF. She has been monumental in organizing and hosting monthly virtual support group meetings for patients and caregivers in the African continent while also helping them navigate the challenging healthcare systems to find a specialist and access treatment.
“Becoming the first international Ambassador for The Sumaira Foundation started one of the most rewarding journeys yet. I found an entity that aligned with my beliefs and viewpoints. I got connected to a global community of survivors like myself who understood exactly what I went through and felt throughout my journey with NMOSD.”
Letitia believes that self-advocacy and advocating for others are essential to advancing and supporting rare diseases like NMOSD. She enjoys connecting with and supporting others with the belief that together, we are stronger and safer.
Read Letitia’s Voices of NMO story: Strength Gained from the Madness Survived
TSF is proud to be a patient-led/patient-powered organization. To apply for the TSF Ambassador Program, visit https://www.sumairafoundation.org/community/tsf-ambassadors/.
