The news of Dr. Josep Baselga's death hit us by surprise last Sunday. Immediately, expressions of affection for the family and of recognition and admiration for the figure of someone who, without a doubt, will be remembered as one of the main scientists in our country, with an extraordinary international impact, followed. This reaction of affection, of tremendous magnitude, has been unanimous in our society, and that is why I wanted to let a few days pass to emphasize, if possible, with these lines the extraordinary work that Baselga developed at the Fero Foundation from his commitment to science and, above all, to his patients.
Because Baselga becomes by creed and conviction the archetype of the humanist scientist who places the patient at the center of all his work. He possessed a quick and brilliant mind, capable of making his ideas tangible in short periods of time. A great promoter of the innovative concept of translational oncological research, applying laboratory advances to patients as soon and in the best possible way.
However, and as president of the Fero Foundation, which he created and promoted, I would like to reflect on Josep Baselga as a person beyond his achievements as a researcher, widely praised by his colleagues in recent days.
For me, Josep Baselga was a visionary leader, a fighter with fascinating magnetism. He had the extraordinary ability to see beyond the limits that the rest of us humans sometimes impose on ourselves. He demonstrated this in his relentless fight against cancer. He always said "we will cure cancer", in the first person plural, because he managed to make each of us feel, whatever our responsibility, an indispensable part of that great challenge.
Last Thursday, during the funeral where family, colleagues, and friends bid him farewell, the immense sadness that overwhelmed me was tinged with optimism and hope upon hearing the words his children dedicated to him. I understood that Josep Baselga, the fighter, the leader, had managed to convey to them the ambition, determination, and will to have a positive impact on society.
We, the Board of Trustees and the small great team of the Fero Foundation, also feel ourselves heirs to the spirit of Josep Baselga and face with renewed energy and enthusiasm the objectives that we set ourselves with him.
I myself, today more than ever, have to thank Josep Baselga for the trust he placed in me by succeeding him in the presidency of the Fero Foundation. It was not an easy task. It was a challenge for me, with the precedent of his powerful leadership and his ability to inject energy, optimism, and pride of belonging to a common project for the benefit of all society.
I believe that one of the initiatives that best reflect the spirit and legacy of Dr. Baselga are the Fero Grants that he himself promoted with the idea of retaining and attracting young talent to nurture the centers of excellence in our country. Thanks to these grants, more than thirty young researchers in the last ten years have managed to stay or return to our country to develop their careers in the field of first-rate translational oncological research.
I conclude with a few words from one of the beneficiaries of the Fero Grant: "Next to Dr. Baselga, I learned to look at cancer without resignation. Not as a defeat but as a challenge to face and fight against every day."
And I add: "Until we achieve it."
Thank you, Pepe.