Following the death of Jorge Messi, father of football legend Lionel Messi, Guillermo Chantada, Head of the Outreach Program at the SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, shared a tribute highlighting Messi’s lesser-known support for the childhood cancer community on LinkedIn:
According to Chantada, Jorge Messi quietly supported several initiatives to advance pediatric oncology in Argentina and across Latin America. His contributions helped more than 100 Argentine doctors, researchers and nurses travel to Barcelona for professional training, and supported early research in precision medicine in Argentina, as well as fellowship and educational programs.
More recently, he supported Programa TELEO, an initiative providing free, high-quality online education to more than 8,000 healthcare professionals across Latin America.
Chantada, who said he met Jorge Messi several times a year in Rosario, remembered him for the discreet and compassionate way in which he supported these efforts.
“Always with a low profile, kindness, and care, he was always there to support us. A great man and friend of the whole community of childhood cancer.”
Jorge Messi has died at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness.
He died in Rosario, Argentina, after receiving medical care in recent months. The nature of his illness was not publicly disclosed.
Jorge played a central role throughout Lionel Messi’s career, supporting him from his early years at Newell’s Old Boys through his move to Barcelona as a teenager and later serving as his representative. Following his death, tributes were shared by Newell’s Old Boys, FC Barcelona, the Argentine Football Association, CONMEBOL and others across the football community.
OncoDaily extends its condolences to Lionel Messi, the Messi family and all those mourning his loss.