Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Rob woke up on New Year's Day 2012 with a terrible headache—but it wasn't from celebrating the night before. What followed was a life-changing diagnosis of Valley fever, a serious fungal infection that spread throughout his body. When several antifungal medicines failed because of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), he was forced to rely on treatments with serious side effects, including one that may have contributed to skin cancer.
Today, Rob is an advocate for Valley Fever and AMR, working with healthcare leaders, patients and governments to advance research and expand access to better treatment options for everyone.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines, like antibiotics.
The World Health Organization’s ‘AMR is invisible, I am not’ campaign puts advocates—like Rob from the WHO Task Force of AMR survivors—front and centre, to share their stories, raise awareness and urge action to address AMR.
Find out more about the campaign and AMR on WHO’s website:
www.who.int/campaigns/world-amr-awareness-week/2024/amr-is-invisible-i-am-not
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance
Rob woke up on New Year's Day 2012 with a terrible headache—but it wasn't from celebrating the night before. What followed was a life-changing diagnosis of Valley fever, a serious fungal infection that spread throughout his body. When several antifungal medicines failed because of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), he was forced to rely on treatments with serious side effects, including one that may have contributed to skin cancer.
Today, Rob is an advocate for Valley Fever and AMR, working with healthcare leaders, patients and governments to advance research and expand access to better treatment options for everyone.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines, like antibiotics.
The World Health Organization’s ‘AMR is invisible, I am not’ campaign puts advocates—like Rob from the WHO Task Force of AMR survivors—front and centre, to share their stories, raise awareness and urge action to address AMR.
Find out more about the campaign and AMR on WHO’s website:
www.who.int/campaigns/world-amr-awareness-week/2024/amr-is-invisible-i-am-not
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance
