5 Simple Ways to Positively Impact Global Health on This National Make a Difference Day

This National Make a Difference Day, discover five simple yet powerful ways to contribute to global health and cancer equity. From volunteering at local clinics to raising disease awareness and supporting clean environments, your small actions can help advance Binaytara’s mission of improving access to cancer care and reducing health disparities worldwide.

National Make a Difference Day is observed annually on the fourth Saturday of October and stands as the largest national day of volunteering in the United States. It brings together families, individuals, and corporations to participate in community service projects. The day is about creating lasting impact and driving change within communities, a principle that aligns closely with Binaytara’s mission of minimizing cancer disparities worldwide.

National Make a Difference Day: How Local Action Supports Global Health

Volunteering plays a vital role in global health, a field that immensely benefits from community engagement. While it may seem far-fetched, you can make a meaningful difference locally by supporting global health initiatives. These programs address health challenges that cross borders, improving health equity and expanding access to care worldwide. Sometimes these challenges can be right in your own neighborhood.

Wondering how to get involved in this National Make a Difference Day? Here are five simple ways to start contributing to global health and make a tangible impact.

National Make a Difference Day and How You Can Impact Global Health

1. Volunteer at a local health clinic or hospital.

A global shortage of at least 10 million healthcare workers is expected by 2030, a staggering gap that could severely affect health outcomes worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries, this shortage is especially pronounced in specialized fields like oncology. For example, in Nepal, where Binaytara operates a health clinic providing cancer care, there are only 40 oncologists for 30 million people.

Binaytara president, Dr. Binay Shah, and staff in front of the Binaytara Health Clinic

In settings like these, volunteering can make a meaningful impact. While you may not provide direct medical care, you can support clinical staff through administrative and non-clinical tasks like welcoming patients, filing, or assisting with operational duties, all of which help make patient care more efficient.

For example, during a recent Binaytara mission trip, Angira Shah, a high school student from Issaquah, Washington, participated in a health camp at a local clinic in Nepal. She guided patients with breast abnormalities to the cancer doctor’s office, improving the patient experience while gaining a deeper understanding of the urgent need to expand access to cancer care.

2. Organize Health Awareness Campaigns to Make a Difference

Raising awareness about diseases can be just as impactful as treating them. Awareness improves health literacy, empowers patients, and ultimately leads to better outcomes. Many organizations champion education on a wide range of conditions, from communicable to noncommunicable diseases.

At Binaytara, we strongly support early detection and prevention, especially for cancers like cervical cancer, which is preventable yet highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. Our Center for Women’s Cancer Access and Advocacy focuses on creating awareness to address these gaps.

You can make an impact too. Share credible information about prevention, screening, or healthy lifestyle choices with your network. Collaborate with local associations running health events to amplify their message and extend their reach. With National Make a Difference Day coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, becoming a community ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation is a great way to get started.

Cancer Awareness Education at one of our 2025 health camps

3. Support Health Equity: Make an Impact Through Donations

Making a difference does not always require being physically present at a community event or clinic. Donations and fundraising are powerful ways to contribute to global health and promote health equity. By supporting global health nonprofit organizations, you help save lives, protect against diseases, and strengthen health systems worldwide.

At Binaytara, the impact of our donors is evident. Thanks to their support, we have served over 1,700 patients in underserved areas of Southern Nepal, significantly subsidizing the cost of their care. Donations also help fund patient support programs, treatment assistance, and community outreach initiatives like our health camps.

Binaytara Health Camp 2025

For other nonprofits working toward similar goals, contributions from individuals who may have less time but the resources to give can create lasting change, helping build a healthier, more equitable world.

4. Join Local Clean-Up and Wellness Initiatives

The state of our environment has a direct impact on the health of communities. Exposure to pollutants like chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins in the air, water, and soil can contribute to a range of health issues, including cancer.

Volunteering in community clean-ups is a simple yet powerful way to make a difference in both local and global health. Activities such as litter removal, debris cleanup, recycling, and tree planting help create cleaner, safer environments and reduce harmful health effects.

You can also support community wellness by organizing wellness walks or volunteering to teach movement-based classes at local gyms or activity centers. These small actions promote healthier lifestyles and contribute to the overall well-being of one’s community.

5. Empower The Youth to Make a Difference in Global Health

At Binaytara, we believe in the power of empowering young minds. We provide guidance and opportunities to early-career medical professionals who are passionate about reducing cancer disparities, making an impact in global health, or building their skills as future healthcare providers.

Binaytara’s president with high school volunteers at the Seattle Cellular Therapy Conference

That is why we offer several volunteer opportunities for anyone interested in advancing our global health mission. Beyond participating in Binaytara programs, you can also champion similar causes in your own community. You can strengthen the health and well-being of your community by sharing knowledge about making a difference, promoting health literacy, and advocating for positive change, starting right where you are.

Celebrating National Make a Difference Day with Binaytara

We are all unique, and because of that, each of us has something peculiarly valuable to contribute to the world. Making a difference is not only about big, noticeable efforts. It can be as simple as offering companionship to someone in hospice, making a small monthly donation to a global health nonprofit, keeping your neighborhood clean, advocating for the underserved in a conversation, or sharing a disease awareness campaign on social media.

It is these small and consistent efforts that create lasting change in communities around the world. On this National Make a Difference Day, we at Binaytara encourage you to take action, however small, to help build a stronger, kinder, and healthier world.