Barça bringing happiness to local hospitals
As is tradition each year, on the day of the open door training session at the Miniestadi the players and coaches also paid a trip to various hospitals in Barcelona and neighbouring Badalona and Sabadell to play visit to sick and injured children. This year the Barça Women’s squad and the Club Directors also formed part of the FC Barcelona party.
All this was a great surprise for the children admitted to the hospitals who received not only the chance to have their photo taken with their Barça idols but also various FC Barcelona gifts.
One such recipient was Alvaro, a 16 year old patient in the oncology unit at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu who welcomed a visit from Samuel Umtiti. Furthermore, the youngster also had the opportunity to follow the morning training session via Robot Pol, a device that allows child patients in various local hospitals to experience the magic of Barça. The man behind this initiative, Éric Abidal, accompanied the remote controlled robot which is used on a daily basis to give children remote visits to Camp Nou and the Barça Museum.
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu
Group 1
Players and coaches: Coutinho, Denis Suárez, Iñaki Peña, Lieke Martens and Stefanie Van Der Gragt.
Directors: Jordi Cardoner
Also attended: Maria Vallès, Director General Barça Foundation; Anna Sagués, Director of Institutional Relations and Public Relations
Group 2
Players and coaches: Dembélé, Umtiti, Arthur, Aspiazu, Kheira Hamraqui and Toni Duggan
Directors: Silvio Elías
FC Barcelona Foundation Trustees: Josep Maldonado
Also attended: Eric Abidal, Sporting Director
Hospital Vall d’Hebron
Group 1
Players and coaches: Fran Sánchez, Rakitic, Munir, Murillo, Patricia Guijarro and Aitana Bonmatí
Directors: Xavier Vilajoana
Group 2
Players and coaches: Sergi Roberto, Vidal, Ernesto Valverde, Bárbara Latorre and Candela Andujar
FC Barcelona Foundation trustees: Felip Boixareu
Hospital de Sant Pau
Players and coaches: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Edu Pons, Andrea Pereira and María Pilar León
Directors: Enrique Tombas
Also attended: David Bellver, UEFA Relations
Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol
Players and coaches: Lenglet, Vermaelen, Antonio Gómez, Alexia Putellas and Sandra Paños
Directors: Jordi Argemí
FC Barcelona Foundation trustees: Mohammed Chaib
Also attended: Josep Maria Barnils, Chief Director of the Social Commission
Hospital de Barcelona
Players and coaches: Messi, Suárez, De la Fuente, Vicky Losada and Marta Torrejon (capitans)
Directors: Jordi Mestre, Maria Teixidor and Javier Bordas
Hospital de Nens de Barcelona
Players and coaches: Piqué, Jordi Alba, Pozanco, Leila Ouahabi and Maria Francesca Caldentey
Directors: Josep Pont
FC Barcelona Foundation Trustees: Enric Roca
Hospital Parc Taulí
Players and coaches: Riqui Puig, Miranda, Pamela Tajonar and Gemma Font
Directors: Jordi Moix
FC Barcelona Foundation Trustees: Ramon Garriga
Cottolengo Padre Alegre
Players and coaches: Malcom, Aleñá, Joan Barbarà, Melanie Del Pilar Serrano and Gemma Gili
Directors: Emili Rousaud
Also attended: Elvira Pou, member of the Social Commission
Casa Ronald McDonald
Players and coaches: Cillessen, Samper Natasha Andonova and Andressa Alves Da Silva
Directors: Oriol Tomás
Also attended: Susana Puell, member of the Social Commission
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