On September 28 at 2pm at the Cardio-Thoracic Centre of Monaco (CTCM), Francesco Grosoli, General Manager – Wealth & Investment Management EMEA and Monaco joined by Robin Reynolds, Director, Head of Events, EMEA, of Barclays London presented children at the hospital with robots that had been built by Barclays staff during an unprecedented team building exercise in humanitarianism. This presentation was made in the presence of the Directorate of Cardio-Thoracic Centre and Dr François Bourlon.
Last April, part of Barclays staff (Monaco, Dubai, Switzerland, London) were put into teams to put together 2-foot Meccanoid G15 robots with 6 motors and 621 pieces. It took more than 2 hours to build the 4 interactive robots, which were distributed, along with four tablets, to the children in the hospital at Cardio-Thoracic Centre.
A cheque for € 15,000 was presented by Philippe Verdier, founder of NFL and the Monaco association Children & Future, along with the president Ariane Favaloro.
Mr Verdier, whose association was created in 2001 under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II (who runs the No Finish Line circuit every year) and has had Princess Stephanie as a marraine (godmother) since 2005, commented, “It’s incredible that this small country can open up to children.
Children & Future’s main mission is to fund projects to assist children suffering or in need. The majority of their funding goes to the Cardio-Thoracic Centre, via Monaco Collectif Humanitaire, which mobilises its teams to save children with serious heart defects who have no suitable hospital facilities.

Since its creation in 1987, CTCM has been a major player in supporting seriously ill children by ensuring cardiology diagnosis, surgery and paediatric intensive care. Forty operations are performed each year, sometimes as many as 4 to 5 a week, with a zero percent mortality rate thanks to the expertise of its medical and surgical teams and the dedication of all staff, as well as the involvement of several associations essential to transportation and childcare.

People think it is easy for children, from these countries, like Senegal or Nigeria, to come to Monaco,” Dr François Bourlon said. “But it’s very stressful for these sick children to travel to Nice by plane, and then be transported here to Monaco. And then they have stay with a host family, sometimes for a few weeks but other times for months.”

By its direct involvement and financial donation, Barclays Monaco underlines its commitment to helping seriously ill children. “It’s our duty as a major financial institution, local and globally, to help the community and, after the crisis, to be perceived differently,” Mr Grosoli told Monaco Life. “Much like a house without electricity, a society without banks doesn’t work. We need to give more to humanity – more time, more money and more effort – to those in need. After all, nothing is as important as a child’s smile.”
Barclays Monaco has been a supporter of the No Finish Line since 2005.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Article first published September 30, 2016