On 26th September Cudeca Foundation celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the In-Patient Unit with tributes paid to people and institutions most relevant to the history of the Unit.

The ceremony took place in the Salón de Los Espejos of the Málaga Town Hall in the presence of Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Malaga, Julio Andrade, Deputy Mayor Delegation of Security, Tourism and International Institutional Relations, Ana Carmen Mata, Vice President Deputation of Málaga, Victor Navas,  Mayor of Benalmádena, Mercedes Mengíbar, Director of Vithas Xanit International Hospital, Juan Carlos Barroso, Manager Málaga Area of La Caixa Foundation, Manuel Arenas, Director of Bank Institutions of Eastern Andalucía, Rafael Cía, Director of Plan Andaluz for Palliative Care, Begoña Tundidor, Delegate of Health for the Junta de Andalucía, Francisco Martos and Emilio Montenegro representing the Sanitary Agency Costa del Sol, Juan Luis Peña, President Volunteers Programme of Málaga, Antonio Benítez, Antonio Herrera and Salvador Naranjo, representatives of the Organising Committee for the "Fernando Martin Pinto" Tournament and representing Cudeca Foundation, Joan Hunt OBE, Founder and Honorary President, Ricardo Urdiales, President, Marisa Martín, CEO and Medical Director, Susan Hannam, Vice President, Rafael Olalla, Deputy CEO Financial Director, Domi del Postigo, Ambassador, Rocio Torres, Manager Communications & Fund Raising.

The ceremony started with some words of welcome from Joan Hunt OBE, highlighting that "the In-Patient Unit was the culmination of a vision which a group of people shared in 1992 when we started our home care.  It is a place where patients and their family members can be attended to by professionals free of charge".

Following on, Francisco de la Torre had words of appreciation for Cudeca Hospice focusing on "the important plan of Joan Hunt which started this project 23 years ago and which has resulted in helping more than 10,000 people".  At this point, the distinctions in the form of hand painted dedicated ceramic tiles were presented to the team of people who contributed towards the birth of the In-Patient Unit 10 years ago: Jorge Muchico, Ana Huércano, Rafael Trujillo, Chus de la Ossa, Josefina Mateos, Nati Lillo, Charo Rodríguez and Ana Godoy.

The Mayor received a special distinction of appreciation from Joan Hunt for the help and support received from the Málaga Town Hall over these last 10 years.

Domi del Postigo, together with the Foundation Trustees, continued with the presentation of insignias of distinction to Ana Carmen Mata, representing the  Deputation of Málaga, to Víctor Navas representing the Town Hall of Benalmádena, to Begoña Tunidor representing the Delegation of Health for the Junta de Andalucía, to Rafael Cía representing Plan Andaluz for Palliative Care, to Francisco Martos representing the Costa del Sol Hospital, to Mercedes Mengíbar representing Vithas Xanit International Hospital, to Juan Carlos Barroso and Manuel Arenas representing La Caixa Foundation and Caixa Bank, to Juan Luis Peña representing the Volunteers Programme of Málaga, to the Organising Committee of the Fernando Martin Pinto Tournament and to the professionals and volunteers of the In-Patient Unit.

At this point Victor Navas and Julio Andrade unveiled the ceramic tiles dedicated to those who made the In-Patient Unit possible.

Ending the ceremony, Ricardo Urdiales said that "the In-Patient Unit would not have been possible without the conviction of Joan Hunt and those involved, however, we still need the support and collaboration of the community, through Socio membership, events, our charity shops etc.  This will enable us to continue caring free of charge to more than 1,000 people every year with cancer and other illnesses in an advanced stage and without the possibility of a cure, and to give support to their families".

YOUR HELP GIVES LIFE TO THEIR DAYS