Città della Speranza is a Foundation that finances the Pediatric Oncology Hematology Clinic in Padua and contributes to scientific research. Over 30 million Euro has been raised since the beginning of our activity, plus an additional 4 million Euro which has been provided through inheritance. The Citta della Speranza’s management is based entirely on volunteers and has an operational cost of less than 2%. Goals are achieved quickly, concretely and openly: a commitment that never ends.
The Foundation “Città della Speranza” was established on the 16th December 1994 in memory of Massimo, a child who died fromLeukemia, and to provide additional medical infrastructure in the Padua area. Franco Masello, Zilio Virginio, Carlo Mazzocco and Professor Luigi Zanesco were the founders of the project, involving companies and individuals in the exercise of fund raising for the construction of a new PediatricOncology Hematology Department.
The name “Città della Speranza” was inspired by an analogous American foundation “City of Hope” which was inspired in a similar way and has a similar operational model, that of transparency,voluntary but rigorous financial management and delivering results.
Our vision is one of where children, afflicted by leukemia and oncological diseases, live in a happy city, a city which gives them hope for their future.
In 2006 Franco Masello resigned as president in order to promote transparency and the long term sustainability of the Foundation. He introduced into the Statute a clause which limits the tenure of the role of President to no more than two terms, underlining that the role of adviser to the Foundation is incompatible with political appointment.
The research laboratories of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic and the DayHospital in Padua and the Pediatric Day Hospital in Vicenza are the latest achievements of the Foundation. In addition, the Foundation has been a partner to the Hospital of Padova in realizing the new Pediatric First Aid department. The Oncology Hematology Center, led by Professor Carli, is connected to the most important medical centers in Italy and around the world; it is a landmark specialized in leukemia and cancer diseases. In 2010 the AziendaOspedaliera guaranteed support to 800 patients annually (between the department and the bone marrow transplant unit), with 1.400 patients treated annually in the Day Hospital and6.946 out-patients.
The Città della Speranza’s Institute of Pediatric Research (IRP) represents the latest challenge promoted by the Foundation.A big contribution in the achievement of this goal has been provided by the engineer Gaetano Meneghello, who hassupported Franco Masello in the design and delivery of the building. A very precious help has also been provided by the architect Giuseppe Clemente who has been responsible for day to day planning and management of the construction process.
From 1999 the aim of the Foundation has been “to keep hospitals empty”. This will be possible only through financing research projects and doctorates in the field of infantile malignant pathologies. Investing in research is the best way to help eradicate cancer.
