The Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) has presented at the Beach Club of D’Antonellas the latest news of the XXXVI Gala Dinner of the Local Board of AECC in Marbella and the economic balance of the 2018 gala. Maika Pérez from Cobas, president of the Local Board of AECC Marbella; Princess Beatriz de Orleans, vice president of AECC Marbella; Ignacio del Cuvillo, vice president of AECC Marbella and manager of the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina; Antonio Campuzano, owner of the D’Antonellas catering, participated in the event. In the press conference there were also Isabel Cintado, Councilor for Social Rights of the City of Marbella and Javier Moreno, manager of the La Cañada Shopping Center, main sponsor of the Gala Dinner. Among friends who have been togehter with us were also Prince Hubertus Von Hohenlohe and Princess Simoneta de Hohenlohe who has given away for sale a dress of Amen brand. Other participants included the architects Carolina Rivera Vázquez, Alberto Aranega López and Julia Herrera Sánchez from “Office for Co. Working Architects”, who have been in charge of adapting the new AECC Space of Marbella that opens on August 2.
Maika Pérez de Cobas has highlighted the added importance of the XXXVI Gala in Marbella. “All the editions are important but the objective of this year, to open in a few days the new AECC Space for cancer patients in Marbella, provides us with a special motivation. We always say it but this year more than ever, everyone will be able to verify, see and touch that what the AECC Gala generates reverts for the benefit of cancer patients and the citizens of Marbella. Once again, I want to thank the City Council of Marbella, for the magnificent place that it has given us, the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina for its generous hospitality year after year and the La Cañada Shopping Center for repeating the sponsorship of last year which allows us to present the AECC Marbella Gala as the best in Spain and one of the best charity dinners internationally.”
Following the principle of transparency promoted by the AECC, Ignacio del Cuvillo, vice president of AECC Marbella and manager of the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina has been in charge of presenting the balance of the accounts of the 2018 gala. After accounting for income (€318,915) and expenses (€96,347.33), last year’s edition shows a positive balance of €222,567.67. In the income chapter, the sponsorship of €100,000 of the La Cañada Shopping Center and the money raised by the sale of tickets amounting to €153,000 stand out.
New Day Center for cancer patients in Marbella
The Local Board of AECC Marbella carries out information campaigns every year that mainly reach primary and secondary school youth; volunteers serve in hospitals and homes; psychological care has been offered since 1996 to patients and relatives; the unit for the laryngectomized offers weekly voice rehabilitation sessions; the smoking unit has attended, with a 65% success rate, more than 1,700 people who wanted to quit smoking; and the palliative care unit, with almost 24 years of history, is a reference center on the Costa del Sol and throughout Spain. It is made up of two doctors, a nurse, two psychologists and a social worker who care for patients and family members at the Costa del Sol Hospital and at home. All these services that the AECC provides in Marbella require an annual budget of €399,935.94, including €65,321.87 that goes to cancer research (2018 data).
The Gala Dinner of Marbella is an important part of funding activities necessary for the maintenance of the programs and services throughout the year. The four major items to which more resources are allocated are: recruitment and financing of cancer research (21.06%); headquarters support (16.05%); patient support (12.03%); Palliative Care unit (46.14%). And the remaining five percent is divided between information and prevention campaigns and anti-smoking therapies.
However, the Spanish Association Against Cancer wants to expand services in Marbella in the short term so, in addition to moving the usual services of AECC Marbella to the new premises granted by the City Council, the association will inaugurate a new AECC Space, the first of Andalusia and the third in Spain after the one in Madrid and the one in Barcelona, where patients and families can be treated free of charge. The objective is to provide patients with a space, outside the hospital environment, where to share experiences, interact with other people who have overcome cancer, provide them with psychological and medical advice, etc. To this end, different workshops for physical exercise, gymnastics, food and healthy habits, reading, meditation, memory workshop and even makeup workshop or physiotherapy service in the medium term are already being prepared.
Gala dinner menu 2019
One of the aspects that arouses most interest every year is the menu that serves the 550 guests. After the magnificent cocktail that will be offered in the gardens of the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, dinner will consist of Lobster Salad on apple and avocado strudel with coral sauce and red fruits. Followed by flounder of sole with prawns, candied artichokes, wild asparagus, sauteed clams and mango sauce. This continues with Veal Jar with Robuchón mash made by Javier Aranda, chef with a Michelin star. And it ends with the “surprise dessert” that Lepanto makes every year.
During the course of the dinner, the traditional charity raffle will also take place, which this year reaches 800 gifts again and consolidates itself as the most important in Spain and includes a magnificent necklace and some men’s cufflinks designed by Gómez & Molina Jewelers. The minimum amount of raffle gifts is €100 and the ballots, which can be purchased from AECC volunteers, will cost €20. This year the auction is professionalized with the team of Sala Retiro Auction, which travels from Madrid for the occasion, and acquires a special prominence by having magnificent works of art; jewels courtesy of Ada de Maurier or San Eduardo Jewels; a beauty treatment by Maribel Yebenes or a week’s stay at Healthouse Las Dunas; Kettal signature design furniture; Doha tickets for two people donated by Qatar Airways or the pack of 2 Air Europa bussines tickets with a stay at Hotel Room Mate and tickets to the Cana Dorada Film Festival.
In this edition the main performance will be provided by Francisco but the night will be full of surprises, national and international, thanks to the collaboration of Starlite. The Gala will be conducted by Ana García Obregón and Boris Izaguirre. As a special gift, the signature Anna Cortina will give all attendees a handmade card holder from high quality Italian leather with a certificate of authenticity.
