The FC Barcelona players visit children's hospitals in Barcelona

The FC Barcelona men’s first team players visited various children’s hospitals in the Barcelona area following the open doors training session at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. The event is an annual charity event organised by the FC Barcelona Foundation as part of its Emotional Wellbeing programme which coincides with the Christmas holidays. The chance to see and talk to the Barça players is always a special moment for the children and young adults and their families who are going through a difficult time.  

The blaugrana party, led by vice president of the institutional area, Elena Fort, directors Josep Ignasi Macià and Josep Maria Albert, as well as the director general of the Foundation, Dr. Marta Segú and the trustees of the FC Barcelona Foundation Josep Puigdollers and Sergio Montaner, left the Ciutat Esportiva at midday to make their way to the hospitals.  

During the visits to the hospitals, the players spent time with the children, some of whom are suffering from serious illnesses, signing autographs, taking photographs and passing out gifts, providing some much-needed therapy for the youngsters. Health care professionals say that these types of visits for the children are positive emotional experiences that help them face the difficult medical treatment they are undergoing and also in their recovery.  

These visits were carried out within the framework of the ‘Navidad todo el año’ (Christmas All Year Round) support initiative that is part of the FC Barcelona Foundation’s Emotional Wellbeing program. Aware of the impact that FC Barcelona and its players can have when it comes to positive emotional experiences for unwell children during their time in hospital, the Foundation arranges regular visits to pediatric hospitals around Barcelona. 

The health centres visited:

- Hospital Sant Joan de Déu /Frenkie de Jong, Christensen, Pau Víctor, Gavi, Marcus Sorg

- Hospital de Sant Pau / Raphinha, Marc Casadó, Fermín

- Hospital Vall d’Hebron /Lamine Yamal, Balde, Cubarsí, Sergi Domínguez, Hansi Flick

- Hospital de Barcelona/ Pedri, Iñigo Martínez

- Hospital Parc Taulí de Sabadell / Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo

- Hospital de Terrassa / Iñaki Peña, Astralaga

- Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol/ Lewandowski, Héctor Fort, Szczesny, Eric Garcia

- Hospital HM Nens/Koundé, Ter Stegen

- Casa Ronald McDonald /Ferran Torres, Gerard Martín

- Casa Xuqlis / Pablo Torre, Dani Olmo