Aladina Foundation was Honored with the Yvonne Humanitarian Award by OncoDaily

We are thrilled to introduce the Yvonne Humanitarian Award by OncoDaily, a special recognition honoring individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary kindness, dedication, and compassion in making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The Humanitarian Award serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, celebrating those who strive to make the world a better place. By acknowledging exceptional contributions to humanity, this award not only honors past achievements but also encourages continued efforts to address some of the most pressing challenges faced by society today.

Recipients of the Humanitarian Award are honored for their exceptional commitment to improving lives and addressing critical societal challenges. Their work exemplifies unwavering dedication to humanitarian principles, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the support they need. These individuals and organizations showcase leadership, compassion, and innovation in their efforts to drive positive change in communities around the world.

Through their tireless advocacy and service, awardees inspire others to engage in humanitarian efforts, fostering a culture of kindness and solidarity. Their achievements not only make a profound impact on immediate communities but also contribute to a global movement toward equity and justice for all.

The inaugural Humanitarian Award was presented to the Aladina Foundation during the OncoDaily Barcelona Party 2024, held during the ESMO Annual Meeting. Earlier this year, the Yvonne Awards 2024, spanning seven categories, were conferred during OncoDaily’s Party in Chicago, held alongside the ASCO Annual Meeting.

The Yvonne Humanitarian Award was presented to Ishtar Espejo, CEO of the Aladina Foundation, who accepted the honor on behalf of the foundation during the OncoDaily Party at ESMO.

The Aladina Foundation was established in 2005 by Paco Arango, inspired by his experience as a volunteer in a children’s cancer ward in 2001.

Paco Arango, a renowned Spanish filmmaker, philanthropist, and founder of Fundación Aladina, dedicated himself to helping children with cancer and their families after witnessing their struggles firsthand. Today, Aladina supports over 1,500 children annually across Spain, providing emotional and medical assistance in more than 18 hospitals.

In addition to his philanthropic work, Paco Arango is a celebrated Spanish writer, director, and producer with over 17 years of experience in the film industry. He founded Calcon Productions, known for films such as The Healer (2017), a charity film that became a global sensation on Netflix, and Maktub (2011), which was nominated for three Goya Awards.

In 2023, Fundación Aladina joined the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), broadening its global reach and impact. That same year, Paco Arango was recognized as one of the 100 Influential Celebrities in Oncology by OncoDaily.

Moved by the resilience and strength of the children he met, Paco Arango committed himself to supporting children with cancer and their families. Since its inception, the Aladina Foundation has worked tirelessly to ensure that seriously ill children and their families never lose their smiles or their determination to fight. From the moment of diagnosis, the foundation provides unwavering support, guiding them through the challenging journey of childhood cancer treatment.

Every year, Aladina Foundation helps over 1,500 children across Spain through its partnerships with more than 22 hospitals.

The foundation’s comprehensive approach includes not only medical support but also psychological, emotional, and social assistance for both children and their families. The Aladina Foundation helped the City of Smile Foundation in Armenia in a time of great need, following the 2020 war and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this difficult period, when the attention of both Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora was primarily focused on addressing the post-war and pandemic challenges, the needs of many vulnerable groups, including children with cancer and blood disorders, were often overlooked. This led to a significant decrease in donations to the City of Smile Foundation, putting the continuity of treatment for these children at risk.

“We have a single purpose, cancer will never steal a child’s smile.” – Paco Arango

Paco Arango / IMDb

In the face of these challenges, the Aladina Foundation stepped in with a generous donation of US$160,000 to the City of Smile Foundation. This contribution gave the organization renewed hope and strength to continue its mission of saving lives. The funds were allocated to cover the treatment costs of hundreds of children and young adults in Armenia suffering from cancer or blood disorders.

Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan, the Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily, presented the award to Ishtar Espejo, CEO of Aladina Foundation.

“It was 2020, there was a war in Armenia. And I was responsible for the pediatric cancer in the country, and I was writing emails all over the world, that we get funds to treat kids because during the war, you know, priorities are changing. And I got an email back from a person who became a very dear friend of mine.

I got an email from a friend who is not Armenian, who has nothing to do with Armenian cause or with the war. I got an email back from the CEO of the Aladina Foundation from Spain, from Madrid. And that’s why our OncoDaily team wants to recognize this.

Because of this email, we were able to cover the treatment for the kids with cancer for two months and save their lives. Please, help me to acknowledge a wonderful person, Ishtar Espejo and the Aladina Foundation, with this beautiful Yvonne Award for their humanitarian work all over the world.

Thank you very much for all the work you are doing all over the world. Not just in Armenia, I know you are doing the same thing in Lebanon, in South America, all over the world, I know. Thank you very much for doing this.”

Ishtar Espejo is the Director at the Aladina Foundation. She was previously the Director of Communications and Public Relations at Javier Larrainzar and El Armario de Pepa. She has also been a Learning Specialist at Starbucks. She completed her education from University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Ishtar Espejo, CEO of Aladina Foundation, expressed words of gratitude:

“It’s true that sometimes life takes you to unexpected places and this is one of them. I never thought I’d be in Barcelona celebrating my friendship with my Armenian friends. And it’s true that Fundacion Aladina, founded by Paco Arango, who would have dearly loved to be here but couldn’t make it, so on his behalf, apologies, was created to help children with cancer and their families throughout the disease.

And what we do is take one child at a time and we started in Spain and now we work in 22 hospitals throughout Spain and we’ve expanded our work to wherever it’s more needed. And we felt that times of crisis and exceptional necessities, such as the war in Armenia, warranted our help. And the work Gevorg and their team do is so incredible that it was an honor to be able to be of service. So thank you everyone.”

The OncoDaily team extends their heartfelt congratulations and sincere gratitude to Aladina Foundation, Paco Arango and Ishtar Espejo for their transformative impact on cancer care.

Further Reading:

OncoDaily at ASCO 2024: OncoDaily Party, Yvonne Award and much more

OncoDaily Party and Yvonne Award Photos – Part 1

OncoDaily Party and Yvonne Award 2024 Photos – Part 2

Inside OncoDaily Party Barcelona