The San Juan de Dios Hospital in Aljarafe held the first San Juan de Dios Social Work Charity Dinner in the first week of March, an event attended by healthcare professionals, local councils and social workers, business leaders, and well-known figures.
Among the attendees were several local councils, including Bormujos, Gines, Pilas, and Tomares; prominent figures from the business sector and the media, along with several prominent figures, also attended this first charity event.
This first charity gala aimed to raise awareness and publicize the "important work" carried out by Obra Social San Juan de Dios through its food security programs, charity pharmacy, volunteering, and international cooperation.
The charity dinner is part of the twinning of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Aljarafe with the Saint John of God Hospital in Tigania, Kenya, which was formalized in 2019. This African center serves residents of the Meru area and currently has 87 beds and a staff of 61.
The Destination Kenya project "is part of the strategy of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, which promotes the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and values among all its centers on the five continents where it operates, allowing for a better understanding of different realities, the sharing of resources, and the development of a sense of belonging to the Order as a whole, especially among those who may feel more isolated," explained Brother CĂĄrdenas.
For her part, MÂȘ Dolores AcĂłn, managing director of the SJD Hospital in Aljarafe, maintains that "joining forces means taking another step toward meeting the expectations of many of our professionals who, beyond their daily care work, want to project their vocation of service to reach those who need our help, as well as those in our immediate surroundings."
In this regard, a prospecting trip was undertaken in May of last year to assess the potential assistance the Seville center could offer its sister center in Kenya: the launch of care projects in Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Traumatology, and General Surgery; improvements to its pediatric ward; the acquisition of a new electric generator; adaptation of its operating room equipment; improvements to the water supply, with the construction of a new well; and the construction of a dining hall for 500 children at the primary school, which the Order also manages in this African center.
To address this major project, the Seville center is coordinating with the Juan Ciudad NGO Foundation and has planned various initiatives to recruit supporters and raise funds.
The 1st Destination Kenya Charity Dinner featured live performances by the bands Azabache and Hermanos DomĂnguez, and DJ Pedro de Tena. A charity raffle was also held, with gifts donated by Viajes El Corte InglĂ©s, Club ZaudĂn Golf, Delatierra Vinos, MarĂa Blanco, and Carmen FernĂĄndez Complementos.
This event also included sponsors AON and Linde and was made possible thanks to the collaboration of A Question of Retail Agency, Communication and Marketing 360, Autocares El Torero, Cocatoo, and Club ZaudĂn Golf.
Social Work of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Aljarafe
The food security and solidarity pharmacy programs seek to support patients in situations of social exclusion who find the treatment necessary to complete their recovery jeopardized upon discharge from the hospital.
On the other hand, international cooperation has always been present in the team at the Order of Saint John of God's hospital centers, supporting the development of humanitarian campaigns to perform surgical interventions in hospitals in developing countries; through the training of professionals at these centers to improve the social and healthcare needs of the population they serve; and through the development of specific projects through twinning between centers.
Photo source and press release: Esther Parejo, Communications Manager at SJD Hospital in Aljarafe.
News edited by: Adriana Castro, Head of Communications at Juan Ciudad NGO.
