Barça Women visit children in hospitals and homes across the Barcelona metropolitan area

Players from the FC Barcelona Women's first-team squad were out and about today making visits to a number of children's hospitals across the Barcelona metropolitan area, ​a home for families with ill children, plus a children's home run by the Catalonian government. This annual social initiative is organised by the FC Barcelona Foundation as part of their Health and Emotional Wellbeing programme. The chances to see, talk to and meet the blaugrana players proved really exciting for all these young people, bringing a lot of joy.

This year saw the women players visiting Hospital de Sant Pau, Hospital del Vall d'Hebron, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Parc Taulí de Sabadell, the home for ill young people, Casa dels Xuklis, and the children's home, Hogar Les Vinyes de Cerdanyola del Vallès. The FC Barcelona players' visit created a lot of excitement, particularly at the centres where the two Ballon d'Or winners, Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, were set to visit.

The blaugrana party was led by Foundation patrons Xavier Sala-i-Martín and Jesús Majem, and by the general manager, Dr Marta Segú. They were also joined by members from the Club's Sporting Commission, with different coaches heading off from the Estadi Johan Cruyff to the different hospitals and children's centres.

Therapy through positive stimulation

The players' visits proved very emotional and unforgettable moments for all these young people. They signed autographs, took selfies, and gave them different gifts, all within an atmosphere of full of smiles, excitement and joy – an excellent form of therapy for these young people, some of whom are going through serious diseases, while others live in homes because their families are unable to look after them.

This traditional visit happens every year within the framework of the social initiative, 'Christmas all year round', derived from the awareness that FC Barcelona and its sportspersons can bring positive emotions to children in vulnerable situations, such as when they have a serious disease or when they are living in care homes because they cannot live with their families. In addition to the visits during the festive season, the Foundation organises visits by the Club's different professional sports teams to different children's hospitals in Barcelona throughout the year.

The following centres were visited:

- Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu / Jana, Brugts, Patri, Engen, and Pajor 
- Hospital Vall d’Hebron / Aitana, Rolfö, Mapi León, Clàudia Pina, and Pere Romeu
- Hospital de Sant Pau / Cata Coll and Irene Paredes
- Hospital Parc Taulí / Paralluelo, Roebuck, Kika, and Gemma Font
- Casa Xuklis / Alexia, Graham, and Marta Torrejón
- CRAE Les Vinyes / Ona Batlle, Keira Walsh, Vicky, and Alba Caño