From the left: Irene Felipe, Ana Cuadrado, Marisol Soengas (CNIO researchers) and Andoni Serrano (The Pink Force). / CNIO
The initiative is a collaboration with The Pink Force Foundation, focused on bringing joy to sick children.
The Pink Force provided us with materials and instructions, which a group of CNIO volunteers used to build two R2-KTs, a pink version of the famous R2D2 from the ‘Star Wars’ saga.
The droids have been delivered to the Hospital Classroom on the Pediatric Oncohematology ward at La Paz Hospital
At the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), we work every day to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Ultimately, we also aim to improve the lives of people with cancer. In this regard, we share a common goal with The Pink Force Foundation, whose goal is to bring a little joy to pediatric patients.
To this end, they provide institutions and groups of people with materials and instructions to build small toy robots, which are then delivered to pediatric units in hospitals. The Pink Force thus draws society’s attention to the needs and reality of children with cancer.
All hands on deck!
Before the summer, Andoni Serrano, president of The Pink Force Spain, contacted us. As a result, a large group of volunteers spent a happy afternoon assembling two R2-KT droids: these are pink versions of the famous R2D2 from Star Wars, which—remotely controlled—move forward, turn their heads , spin around and emit sounds.
A few days ago, the little droids arrived to the hands bound to make them sing and move: on behalf of the whole volunteer team, researchers from CNIO delivered two of the droids created at our centre to La Paz University Hospital, along with another one assembled by young people under the auspices of the Princess of Girona Foundation.
The delivery took place in one of the Hospital Classrooms at La Paz, where hospitalized children can continue their education; specifically, in the classroom for cancer, transplant, and nephrology patients. We can assure you that patients, teachers, and family members were treated to… yes… a wonderful surprise!
Andoni also brought along another larger robot, which the group used to visit patients who were unable to come to the classroom. Guided by Antonio Martínez, head of the IdiPAZ-CNIO Pediatric Oncohematology Joint Clinical Research Unit and head of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service at La Paz University Hospital, they visited this unit, as well as the Pediatric Oncology Day Hospital.
Thanks to Andoni for bringing us this wonderful initiative and giving us the opportunity to raise awareness of childhood cancer, which has very different characteristics from adult cancer and requires new avenues of research
