Com-St-06-04-02-ABC_ENG-1.pdf
Equipment and financing for the Pediatric Heart Surgery Department in Palermo, directed by Prof. Carlo Marcelletti
The charity drive “Donnafugata for the Heart,” launched by the winery at the Blue Note in Milan in 2005, has achieved its purpose. The 120,000 euros collected through sales of 12,000 copies of the “Donnafugata Music & Wine Live” CD at Italian wine shops and restaurants were donated entirely to task of equipping the Palermo hospital’s pediatric heart surgery department with high-tech instruments for diagnosing and surgically treating children’s heart diseases.
With these funds, donated to the Children with Heart Diseases Association (ABC) headed by cardio-surgeon Carlo Marcelletti, it was possible to purchase an incubator for newborn for the operating room, an Aquadex console with ultra-filtration circuit and a Luxtec system to film surgical operations in order to create a video archive for teaching purposes.
In addition to purchase of this sophisticated equipment, the funds gathered by the “Donnafugata for the Heart” project will be used to finance a special agreement with the Athenaeum Hotel in Palermo ensuring that parents of the children undergoing long-term treatment can stay, free of charge, in a dedicated apartment. These accommodations for family members consist of three rooms, beds for six and amenities.
The original destination for the funds raised by “Donnafugata for the Heart” was creation of scholarships for young North African doctors. However, the red tape and organizational difficulties involved in getting visas made other uses preferable.
José Rallo, who originated the project, says: “We were very happy with the proposal made by ABC, Marcelletti’s non-profit association, to use the 120,000 euros to buy new equipment and finance accommodations for parents of the children being treated. This prompt use of the money raised was something we owed everyone, consumers and customers alike, who were so enthusiastic about the drive and willingly purchased the <Donnafugata Music & Wine Live> CD.”
Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] phone +39 0923 724226
Laura Ellwanger: [email protected] phone. +39 0923 724258
Nando Calaciura [email protected] mob. +39 338 3229837
