Communities are supported by more than visible services like roads, electricity, or schools. Health systems, especially those that care for people with serious illnesses, are just as essential and often operate quietly in the background. Over the past week in Lilongwe, I have continued to learn how access to healthcare, particularly cancer care and blood products, shapes everyday life in the community. My work takes place in two spaces: 1) pediatric cancer clinics, where I work with doctors caring for children, and 2) the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS), where blood is collected and prepared for hospitals within the region. These experiences have shown me that global health is not a future goal but something practiced daily through shared training, teamwork, and community partnership. Cancer care depends not only on doctors and medicines, but also on blood donors, laboratory staff, transportation, electricity, and data systems working together. This Field Note focuses on why access to cancer care and blood products is such an important community need in Malawi. It also focuses on how health workers and researchers work to meet that need despite limited resources.
