Photo Gallery below
About
150 people, including Uruguay's First Lady Mercedes Menafra
de Batlle, came out to the U.S. Ambassador’s residence
Thursday night (Oct. 24) to help raise money for the Peluffo
Giguens Pediatric Cancer Center. Guests
dined and danced and were treated to musical performances
during the evening.
Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein
and his wife, Audrey, supporters of the hospital, hosted
the dinner to help the hospital raise funds to build a house
where pediatric patients can stay with their parents while
having treatment. Because
so many of the children are receiving treatment as outpatients
and because many of them travel from the interior of the
country, it has become necessary for the hospital to provide
lodging for them during their treatment.
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| Mrs. Silverstein with representatives
from Peluffo Giguens who organized the event.
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Ambassador Silverstein, First Lady of
Uruguay Mercedes Menafra de Batlle, Mrs. Silverstein
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| Mrs. Audrey Silverstein addresses the
guests; Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein |
President of the Peluffo Giguens Foundation
Dr. Jorge Bartesaghi |
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| Director General of CHPR Dr. Luis A.
Castillo |
Music during the cocktail hour |
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| Senator Guillermo Garcia Costa (right)
speaks with a guest. |
Minister of Public Health Conrado Bonilla
(left) and Dr. Bartesaghi |
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| Guests at the dinner |
The band, The Nightmovers, plays. |
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| Guests enjoy the music after dinner;
at right, Ambassador and Mrs. Silverstein. |
More dancing |
Mrs. Silverstein's
speech:
Good evening.
The Ambassador and I are pleased to welcome you all to this
evening’s event on behalf of the Peluffo Giguens Foundation.
It is so wonderful to look out and see so many supporters
of a Foundation that is committed to the fight against children’s
cancer. We are honored to have with us tonight, the first
lady, Mrs. Mercedes Menafra de Batlle who graces us with
her presence. Also present is Minister of Industry Jose
Billar, Minister of Public Health Conrado Bonilla, and Acting
Mayor of Montevideo Aldolfo Perez-Piera.
The Peluffo Giguens Foundation is working not only towards
healing children with cancer, but also making the lives
of children fighting cancer more bearable. The dedicated
staff and volunteers spend countless hours devoted to easing
the suffering of these children. This commitment to care
comes not only from those working at the Peluffo Giguens
Foundation but also from those of you who have demonstrated
your dedication by supporting this cause. I want to thank
all of you for being here tonight with us.
Shortly after I arrived in Uruguay, I took a tour of the
Pelufo Giguens Cancer Ward with a small group of wives of
visiting United States Senators. I was incredibly impressed
with the care demonstrated by the professionals of the Peluffo
Giguens Foundation. One of the Senator’s wives, a
nurse practitioner in the United States, was also impressed
with the level of success of the treatments given to the
children. My heart was touched. My husband and I are very
proud to be supporting this dinner on behalf of Pelufo Giguens.
I want to recognize the wonderful work of Dr. Jorge Bartesaghi,
President of the Pelufo Giguens Foundation and Dr. Luis
Castillo, Director General of the Foundation. It is also
important to thank those that were involved in organizing
tonight’s event including Mariana Arsuaga, Silvia
Hamlat Oppenheimer, and numerous representatives from the
US Embassy. All of these people gave a great deal of time
and effort to ensure the success of this evening’s
event. Finally I want to thank all of you for being so generous
to contribute to this cause.
Enjoy your evening.
