The Foundation

"We work to drive progress in Pediatric Oncology, to offer new welfare proposals, to improve quality of life in sick children and youngsters and to achieve their full psychosocial integration"

The Enriqueta Villavecchia Private Foundation for Child Oncology, constituted in Barcelona in 1989, is a non-profit organization with charitable and welfare aims. Our goal is to provide integral care for children and youngsters with cancer or other serious diseases, and give support to their families.

Our Foundation has an active presence in all Catalan hospitals offering Pediatric Oncology and Hematology care:

History

The organization resulted from the initiative of a group of people from the Catalan civil society who, sensitive to the needs of children suffering from cancer and the hardships for their families, inspired the creation of an entity to address the problem.

It all started in 1989, when the first summer camp for children undergoing cancer treatment and hospitalized at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau was organized. The venue was the medieval town of Monells and the experience was readily accepted, with very positive results for the children attending it.

A journalist from La Vanguardia, Mr. Josep Maria Puig de la Bellacasa, wrote an article about the adventurous event. Many people read that article and found the initiative so very commendable that they decided to promote an entity that could offer continuity and help to sick children and their families. There were many aspects to consider in order to improve their quality of life and take care of fundamental needs.

That's how the Enriqueta Villavecchia Private Foundation for Child Oncology was born a few months later, in February 1989.

Mission statement

The purpose of the Foundation is to provide integral care to children and youngsters suffering from cancer or other life restriction diseases, to ensure the support to their families, and to drive progress in aid, research and training in the field of Oncology, Hematology, Palliative Care and the attention to complex chronicity at pediatrics.

Vision

"We work to achieve the best possible quality of life for children and youngsters with cancer or other serious diseases in all the stages, to guarantee support and the necessary accompaniment to their families, as well as to promote and drive progress in medical care, research and training in the field of Oncology, Hematology, Palliative Care and the attention to complex chronicity at pediatrics"

Our actions are meant to provide integral care of the needs the sick children and youngsters may have, whether from a physical, family, social, psychological, emotional and/or spiritual point of view. We aim to see their fundamental rights respected and the children and youngsters fully integrated in society.

Goals

· Provide social help to the families of children and youngsters with cancer or other serious diseases, means of economic and social help in the case of families with scarce resources as well as accommodation to families temporarily moving out of their homes to secure their children's hospital treatment.

· Achieve a better quality of life for the children and youngsters patients by adapting the hospital surroundings to their needs, by being with them in the hospital and at home along the whole process and by organizing activities meant to keep up their hopes and self-esteem.

· Drive progress in the pediatric field of oncology, hematology, palliative care and the attention to complex chronicity by promoting research and medical training in this specialization.

· Raise social awareness on the reality of child cancer or other serious and other long-term serious diseases by providing information on problems that require immediate solutions.

Awards

Creu de Sant Jordi Award 2014 given by Generalitat de Catalunya autonomous government acknowledging our fight against child cancer and our ongoing support to their families, the effort to make progress in research, training and the drive to implement participation and volunteering programs.

2020

Mutualista Solidario A.M.A. Award by Agrupación Mutual Aseguradora

2019

“Implicados y solidarios” Award by Bankinter

Finalists at the Solidarity Awards by Caixabank Banca Privada

2018

LIBERPRESS Award in the category Associations by Girona Diputation and Asssociació LiberPress Association

2017

"TU PROYECTO, NUESTRO PROYECTO" Award by Honda

"ASPID ORO" Award in the category Communication campaigns with the "Count on me" video.

"HOSPITAL OPTIMISTA" Award in the category Social Projects

2016

TEVA Award “Humanizando la Sanidad”

"RETO BSOS" Award by Banc Sabadell

2015

"CIUTAT SOLIDÀRIA" Award to the work of NGOs, awarded by Onda Cero Catalunya and Consorci de la Zona Franca, as a recognition for the support given to children and youngsters undergoing treatment.

2014

Creu de Sant Jordi by Generalitat de Catalunya

2010

Active Citizens of Europe Award (ACE) to NGOs awarded by VOLONT EUROPE international network for success in improving life for their communities, whether local, regional, national o international.

2008

National Volunteering Award given by the Government and Public Administration Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya autonomous government for the project called "Volunteering to provide support to children and youngsters suffering from long-term diseases"

Horta-Guinardó Award for work leading to improving quality of life in the field of child healthcare and for services rendered to the community.

Golden Cross awarded by AEFE (Agrupació Espanyola de Foment Europeu), foundation promoting European unity and values.

2006

Foundation Solidarity Award by Carrefour

2005

Asekor International Foundation Award, third place for the project called "Hospital volunteering".

2004

Telva Award, first prize in the National category for our project providing care at specialized centers and at home to children sick with cancer and support to their families.

2000

Communications and Public Relations Award given by the Catalan Association of Communications and Public Relations acknowledging our ongoing support to medical activities against cancer.

1999

Premi Josep Trueta concedit pel Departament de Sanitat i Seguretat Social de la Generalitat de Catalunya, pel suport permanent a les activitats assistencials contra el càncer.