We couldn’t wait to spend some time with the brave children at Málaga’s Hospital Materno Infantil. And what better way to do it than on the International Day of Childhood Cancer, held today, 15^th February.

The last time Málaga CF was able to visit the boys and girls admitted to the hospital was in 2019, before the pandemic, so this week's reunion was even more special.

The Blue and White delegation was made up of players including Escassi, from the male first team; Ruth, from Femenino; and Héctor Hurtado, from Málaga Genuine, accompanied by Lucas Rodríguez, MCF Foundation coordinator, and from the Foundation’s Social Department, Sebastián Fernández 'Basti '.

Accompanied throughout by Marina Fernández, head of Communication and Citizen Participation at the Regional University Hospital of Málaga, they began the tour of the Paediatric Day Hospital, where they greeted the children and their families and gave them some Malaguista gifts.

Later, they went up to the fourth floor, the Haemato-Oncology ward, to visit the patients’ rooms, making them smile and presenting them with flags, shirts, footballs, toys and other official merchandise, signing autographs and taking photos with them.

The hospital spokesperson for this visit, Marina Fernández, acknowledged that “it’s wonderful that the Málaga CF players and the MCF Foundation come to visit us,” as “the children and families really enjoy it. It’s essential to have a break from routine when they’re in hospital with visits like these,” she stated.

For Escassi, one of the Málaga CF captains, “it has been a very emotional morning, helping the little ones and seeing their happy faces is a real pleasure and a privilege,” since these moments are made “more enjoyable during tough times for them.”

“It’s been such a lovely morning as I’ve united my two passions, football and nursing,” said Femenino captain, Ruth. “A smile is magic, it makes you appreciate and remember that you have to enjoy every day, we are very lucky. In the end, the only thing that matters is being healthy and enjoying life,” she stated.

Málaga Genuine player, Héctor Hurtado highlighted: “We have conveyed happiness, and hopefully the children will be able to go home soon. They were really happy to see us.”

The head of Communication and Citizen Participation at the Regional University Hospital of Málaga added that “most of the children are from Málaga and support Málaga CF. They are delighted to wear the shirt and when they get better, they want to go and cheer on the team at La Rosaleda.”

Lastly, Escassi admired the positivity that the little ones convey: “They give us strength, with the situation they’re in, they push forward with everything. This is like a mirror where we have to look at ourselves. It’s a privilege to give them encouragement and energy; I'm sure everything will work out well.”

A visit full of Malaguista sentiment on the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day.