How was the José Carreras Foundation created?
It was July 1987 and José Carreras was in Paris recording the film version of La Bohème de Puccini under the direction of Luigi Comencini. During the filming process Mr. Carreras began to feel unwell and went to hospital. After 48 hours came the big shock: leukaemia. It was a terrible diagnosis that came at a time when he was professionally and personally at his "peak".
In 1988, together with a great team of scientists and businessmen, and with the support of his family he created the José Carreras International Foundation to contribute to the search for a cure for leukaemia. When he was asked why he had created this project he responded: "the truth is that I started this project to say thank you. When I was sick, society came to my aid. I want to give back for all those demonstrations of affection, equally to people and to science".
Since its beginnings the José Carreras Foundation against Leukaemia has pursued one great aim. In fact, it is more than that; it is a significant challenge both scientifically and socially: to reach a day when leukaemia is curable for all and in all cases.
Leukaemia, like many other diseases, develops without warning and is therefore difficult to accept. In the first moments, like any other patient, José Carreras felt puzzled but quickly established a positive attitude towards the situation. He explains that "during all the treatment I felt that if there was one chance in a million then I needed to fight for it and never throw in the towel".
For more than 23 years, José Carreras has been at the forefront of the Foundation's work and dedicates many concerts to the Foundation each year, in order to actively contribute to the financing of the organization's various projects.
Visiting a patient in 2010
Greeting a patient with a doctor in an isolated ward in 2003.
During a visit to a children's haemotology unit in the 1990's.
In 2003, during the "José Carreras Gala" in Germany.
In 2011, together with a small leukaemia patient in Germany.
In 2005, greeting a patient through the window of the isolated ward in the Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona during a visit with footballer Victor Valdes.
Together with different adult patients at Sant Pau Hosptal in 2010.
In 2006, giving a gift to a child in a german hospital.
In 2007, with a patient and his mother in La Paz Hospital in Madrid.
In 2010, talking to Adrià, a teenage patient in Sant Pau Hospital.
In 2002, visiting an isolated patient in Germany.
In 2003, playing table football with a patient in Germany.
In 2009, visiting a patient in a clinic in Marburg (Germany)
In 2010, shaking hands with a patient in Sant Pau Hospital.
In 2005, visiting a patient in an isolated ward in Hospital Clinic in Barcelona.
Visiting a patient in Brasil in the 1990's
In 2006, joking with Marta, an ex-leukaemia patient in Niño Jesus Hospital in Madrid.
Visiting Helena and her parents, with Rafa Márquez. Helena is a 3 year old patient who received an umbilical cord blood transplant in 2010.
In 2010, visiting a teenager in Barcelona.
In 2006, with Paula an ex-Ewing's Sarcoma patient.
In 2008, in the gamesroom at the Niño Jesus Hospital in Madrid.
In 2009, with leukaemia patient Javier in the Gregorio Marañon Hospital
In 2006, with a German patient.
Thank you José!
