EVENTS 2025
PxP India 2025
Embracing patient engagement for better clinical outcomes
Hosted by PxP in collaboration with IBD Patient Support Foundation India.
Led by Maalvika Bhuvansunder, Clarinda Cerejo and Nikhil Jayswal.
Speakers: Shruti Gupta, Naumika Khanna, Vachasamrita S and Dr Pooja Sharma
Session Overview
Individuals with lived experience bring valuable perspectives to health research and practice. PxP : is a Canada-based, international patient-led initiative, supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health & Arthritis that empowers and enables patients to engage as partners on health research teams.
For the first time in India, PxP brings together a panel of experts to discuss the value of patient engagement in clinical research and at point of care. Featuring pioneering experts who are daring to challenge the status quo in a highly traditionalist healthcare system, this virtual session will use storytelling, provocative debate, and Q&A to showcase how patients can convert their lived experience into valuable expertise to help shape research and healthcare processes.
This session is designed for clinical researchers, medical practitioners, patient advocates, and patients who are eager to see the power dynamic shifting and patients taking their rightful place as collaborators in the healthcare ecosystem.
Session Date - August 30 (Saturday)
Session Time - 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM IST
Session Format - Hosted virtually on the Zoom platform
Clarinda Cerejo
Clarinda is a EUPATI-certified Patient Expert, a Stanford-certified Design Thinker, an India Ambassador for The Sumaira Foundation, and a member of the International Society for Patient Engagement Professionals (ISPEP).
A staunch patient advocate living a rare disease called neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple chronic conditions, Clarinda co-hosts the podcast “Not Just Patients,” through which she aims to break barriers to meaningful patient involvement in healthcare. She has served as a Consultant to the World Health Organization, a Board Member of the Global Patient Advocacy Coalition for Headache (GPACH), and a Management Committee Member for the Rare Disease Research Network (UK).
Her multi-faceted advocacy work includes organizing support group meetings and educational webinars for patients, creating patient-friendly summaries of medical research, serving as a patient author on academic research, being a keynote speaker at various international conferences, collaborating with stakeholders to effect policy changes, and consulting pharma and healthcare organizations on patient engagement.
Maalvika Bhuvansunder
Maalvika Bhuvansunder is a 26-year-old forensic psychologist specializing in suicide prevention in India. In 2016, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Her personal experience with this illness has motivated her to become an advocate for mental health, particularly regarding its impact on individuals living with chronic conditions.
Currently, she serves as the Mental Health and Peer Support Lead at the IBD Patient Support Foundation in India. Maalvika represented the foundation at the IBD Vizag 2024, which is the 8th National Meeting of the Colitis and Crohn's Foundation of India (CCFI). In 2022, she was a fellow with the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adult Network and continues to engage with them for patient conferences (Generation Patient) and other advocacy initiatives.
Toutes les ressources:
- Guide for international students with IBD as a part of the 2022 CCYAN fellowship https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iG-VTyjkJMwfBQWoMhQOv2JI_e4zZD6R/view?usp=sharing
- Speaker at the about IBD Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/5S1cB8AtA6lLz9mWTO4ijJ
- Research paper where Nikhil (founder of IBD India) is involved in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923224000047
- IBD India Newsletter https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/c77177d4-d657-47b6-a2e1-455c5759ea5d/IBD-India-Newsletter-Q1-2025-English-PDF-Compr.pdf
- IBD INDIA was recently featured in the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Association’s (EFCCA). https://efcca.org/sites/default/files/efccamagazine-02-2025-web%20%281%29.pdf
Social Media
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maalvika-bhuvansunder/
Instagram (IBD India Page): @india.ibd
Naumika Khanna
"Naumika Khanna lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Epilepsy, but her story is one of resilience, not limitation."
From the age of seven, Naumika’s life was shaped by daily injections, countless hospital visits, and the invisible battles of chronic illness. Yet, she refused to let her diagnoses define her future. Today, she is a 25 year old UNICEF Youth Champion & changemaker of India, a global advocate for Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, and an unstoppable voice for equity.
With an M.A. in Psychology, she has represented India at the World Health Summit, global NCD forums in Kigali, and national consultations with the Ministry of Health. Her work bridges the lived experiences of young people with the decision-making tables that shape their futures through various organizations such as Diabetic Fighters Trust, Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation & an active contributor to podcasts focused on NCD awareness & mental health.
Naumika believes that policy change must begin with the voices of those it impacts most. Through her advocacy, she carries forward a simple but powerful truth: “We’re not just surviving—we’re fighting for the chance to thrive, and that starts with equity.”
Nikhil Jayswal
Nikhil is a person living with Crohn’s Disease, an ileostomy and thyroid cancer. A severe disease history and constant complications have impacted his postgraduate studies and attempts to secure formal employment.
He’s a founder and director at IBD Patient Support Foundation (India) - India's only registered non-profit for the direct welfare of persons living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in India. He’s also a 2020 fellow of Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network and a 2021 Soapstone Fellow of Enable India.
Dr Pooja Sharma
Dr Pooja Sharma is a trained gynecologist with over 28 years of experience in clinical research. She currently serves as an Advisor at the Pediatric Cancer Research Institute (PCRI), Cankids...Kidscan, where she supports strategic initiatives to advance pediatric oncology research.
As the Project Lead of PACER (Patient Advocates for Clinical Research), she plays a pivotal role in driving patient-centric approaches to clinical research in India. PACER actively collaborates with over 28 Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs) - a number that continues to grow - to enhance awareness, build understanding, and foster meaningful participation of expert patients in research design, conduct, and dissemination.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drpooja-sharma
Site Web : https://aparhealth.co.in/
Vachasamrita S
Vachasamrita is a fierce advocate and a leader in the patient community, driven by a personal mission to revolutionize healthcare for the chronically ill.
As the co-founder and chairperson of Lupus Trust India, Vachasamrita has built a powerful community, providing support and a collective voice to thousands of patients. Her work with SGRF and her deep interest in ethnobotany stem from her Biological Anthropology, which provides a unique lens on the biocultural dimensions of health and human wellbeing.
She is dedicated to reducing suffering and ensuring that the patient's voice is at the center of healthcare policy and innovation.
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