Here’s What Puttinu Achieved In 2022 And Their Mission For 2023
As Puttinu Cares approaches its 21st birthday, Lovin Malta looks back over the last year, the achievements of the charity and the generosity of the people of Malta and Gozo.
The big news in 2022 was that, after seven years of searching, The Puttinu Cares Foundation managed to secure a freehold building just 10-minutes walk from the hospitals in the centre of London.
The purchase was completed, and the deeds signed, on 10th June at the Malta High Commission in London.
As a result, Puttinu Cares will be able to provide 27 additional flats for patients and their relatives who visit hospitals in the English capital, in which they will be able to stay free of charge.
The Puttinu Cares Foundation already owns 20 apartments in Sutton, Surrey, on the outskirts of London and they rent another six. But with 60 to 90 patients travelling to the UK for treatment every month, the need for more apartments was clear.
Also, as Maltese patients receive treatment in hospitals including The Royal Marsden, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, Puttinu Cares was keen to have Home-Away-From-Home premises near to these facilities.
Having bought the premises, Puttinu Cares are now delighted that work on the shell of the building is taking place quickly. They have also applied for planning permission to add an additional floor to accommodate more people.
The new building will be named for Dr Victor Calvagna, the former president of Puttinu Cares, who sadly died in early 2022 aged 63. As well as being a much-loved paediatric cancer specialist, with characteristic tenacity and passion, Calvagna was also a competitor in triathlon events.
Fundraising is key to the delivery of support by the charity, and it was last year’s televised Good Friday marathon in aid of Puttinu Cares, that generated the final funds enabling the purchase of the building. Incredibly, more than €3 million was raised between 10am and midnight on the day, towards this €23 million project.
This year, the charity will focus its fundraising efforts on renovating the building and providing a comfortable and welcoming space for patients needing treatment in the centre of London.
This is being done through a televised marathon being held on Good Friday on 7th April. It will be aired on all local TV stations between 9am and 3pm and 9pm and midnight.
All in all, this purchase is a monumental achievement as the Charity comes of age and continues to offer such strong and much-needed support to children struggling with cancer and their families, and a tribute to the kindness of local people and organisations.
Here’s how you can donate:
Donation Lines:
5160 2007 – Eur10
5170 2006 – Eur15
5180 2008 – Eur25
5190 2062 – Eur50
SMS Donations:
5061 6499 – Eur1.16
5061 7380 – Eur2.33
5061 8939 – Eur6.99
5061 9225 – Eur11.65
HSBC Bank Transfer
Account number: 089077341001
IBAN: MT55MMEB44897000000089077341001
Swift Code: MMEBMTMT
BOV Mobile
[Name] Puttinu BOV Mobile
[Mobile] 7949 9423
BOV Bank Transfer
Account number — 400 1812 2134
IBAN: MT70VALL22013000000040018122134
Swift Code: VALLMTMT
Cheques can be made payable to Puttinu Cares
Address: Rainbow Ward, Level -1, Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre, Msida, MSD 1234
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