José Carreras is honoured at the 2011 Crystal Awards for his dedication to the fight against leukaemia in the World Economic Forum of Davos.

This year, the honour of receiving an award was shared by the composer A.R. Rahman, and José Carreras. Carreras received the award “on behalf of two groups of people: patients and their families; and researchers and health workers“.

After his recuperation, the tenor José Carreras created the Foundation on th 14th of July 1988 to give back to society and to science for all the support and affection he received during his treatment. José Carreras stars in many charity concerts each year, for the benefit of his charity. The Foundation contrates its efforts in four main areas:

● Support to scientific research
Around 37% of funds are invested in the promotion of scientific research. In this way, the Foundation contributes to the search for a definitive cure for leukaemia and other haemotological diseases. The Foundation has invested more than 7.5 million € in scientific research projects and is currently in the process of launching the José Carreras Research Institute against Leukaemia. The Institute will be one of only a handful of centres in the world which is dedicated exclusively to the research of haetological malignancies.

● Donating could mean saving a life
To ensure that no patient is left without the opportunity of a cure due to the lack of a compatible bone marrow donor, the Foundation established the REDMO (Spanish Bone Marrow Donors Registry) in 1994. Thanks to this initiative, Spanish patients can access the more than 15 million bone marrow donors and more than 500,000 umbilical cord units, around the world.

● Improvement of health centre infrastructures
To provide patients with the most innovative technology, the Foundation has financed several projects to improve hospital infrastructures.

● Social services
Welfare flats, located close to transplant centres, are provided for patients and their families who are less financially capable and have to travel a long distance from their home to receive treatment.

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization which is charged with evaluating the global situation, economically, politically, academically and more. This international summit, which has taken place for 41 years, brings politicians and business people together with the most important intellectuals in the world.

Vídeo/interview CNN about this Award