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Josep Carreras
and the fight
against leukaemia

Dear friends,

I remember my first admission perfectly well. It was 1987 and I was forty years old. I was at the height of my tenor career, married with two wonderful young children.

In the room next to mine in the hospital there was a baby, only about two years old. This made a big impact on me. I was overcome with a feeling of profound injustice. I had leukaemia, but I had been able to live for four decades. I had enjoyed myself, I had studied, I had raised a family, I had dedicated my life to what I enjoyed doing, I had started a career, I had travelled… I was overwhelmed by a feeling of injustice and helplessness, together with the vast support and affection I received from society and from the scientific community, that encouraged me to create, in 1988, this Foundation to fight against leukaemia.

I set myself a goal: to one day make leukaemia
a curable disease in all cases.

During these more than thirty-five years of the Foundation’s existence, I have been able to meet countless patients, old and young. I have visited hundreds of hemato-oncology units around the world. And although many aspects have changed in these thirty years, science has advanced significantly and the opportunities for patients are much greater, I am still often accompanied by a feeling of uneasiness, especially when I see younger patients .

Josep Carreras junto con pacientes infantiles de leucemia
Josep Carreras con pacientes infantiles de leucemia

Since the creation of the Foundation, we never ceased to promote and carry out innovation and support projects. In recent decades, cure rates have improved dramatically, but today, one in five children and half of adult patients are still unable to overcome the disease. As you know, this is often due to the serious side effects of the treatments.

As you can see from our activities, we are attacking the disease on many fronts. Our success largely depends on the support of the many people who work with us: people who are UNSTOPPABLE against leukaemia.

Josep Carreras mirando un microscopio en un laboratorio de investigación
Josep Carreras le da la mano a un paciente adulto de leucemia

On behalf of all of us who are part of this organization, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those people who support us, both financially and by becoming bone marrow or umbilical cord blood donors. With each research project, with each small charitable contribution, with each recovered patient we are expanding the opportunities for those who, unfortunately, suffer and will continue to suffer from this terrible experience.

WE WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL WE CURE IT.

Affectionately,

Josep Carreras

A thank you from a tenor

In 1988, after overcoming his leukaemia, Josep Carreras created the Josep Carreras Foundation with the aim of thanking society and science for all the support received.

Since then, Josep Carreras has been the active president of the Foundation, which is based in Barcelona and has headquarters in the United States, Switzerland and Germany.

After more than 35 years, the Foundation continues in its endeavour to bring patients the latest treatments and support during the process. Until leukaemia becomes a 100% curable disease.

Josep Carreras Foundation “La Fleur”

The documentary “La Fleur” tells the life story of Josep Carreras. It is the story of a group of people, with the tenor at their head, who one day decided to realize a dream: to cure leukaemia one day.

The 35 years of the Josep Carreras Foundation in images

A life in images

A life dedicated to others, on and off stage.

Josep Carreras junto a personas imparables con lazos rojos

Discover the Josep Carreras Foundation

And now that you know the history of our foundation, find out about our foundation and our action programs

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