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ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
We aim to contribute to the emotional wellbeing of low income children who must travel from rural and distant areas to the city of Cali for medical treatment of leukemia, cancer and related diseases. Our purpose is to make the children’s lives happier and more enjoyable by providing entertaining activities over the course of the time they are in treatment. We strive to give them nourishing care and joy, as best ways to give them love, to lessen the anxiety and stress of medical treatments.
VISION
We aim to contribute to the emotional wellbeing of low income children who must travel from rural and distant areas to the city of Cali, Colombia for treatment of leukemia, and other cancer-related illnesses. Our purpose is to make the children’s lives happier and more enjoyable by providing entertaining activities over the course of the time they are in treatment. We strive to give them nourishing care and joy, as best ways to give them love, to lessen the anxiety and stress caused by medical treatments.
8 Abrazos grew out of a wish that Rodrigo Navia Melendro shared with his family and close friends. Rodrigo, who died of leukemia on November 22nd of 2013, wished to contribute to making life happier for cancer patients and their families.
Rodrigo stood out as an athlete; he was, above all, an avid cyclist and loved mountain biking all over Colombia. He was perennially enamored of Cali’s striking Farallones mountains. During his last years, Rodrigo promoted among his family, friends, and colleagues at Colegio Bolivar, -the Cali-based American school where he also studied- the importance of hugging as part of our daily routine. He promoted 8 hugs a day as a most effective remedy, just as doctors promote 8 glasses of water a day for a better health. He truly believed that hugging 8 times a day was an infallible spiritual cure. Rodrigo was convinced of the importance of transmitting love to patients and their families and in the essential benefits of emotional support in the healing process, more so when medical treatments take place over long periods. Emotional support will be reflected in the patient’s soul because affection, joy, happiness and enthusiasm are fundamental for every human being.
This conference was the inspiration for Rodrigo to promote the importance of the 8 hugs
The Foundation was established in Cali on May 28, 2014 by relatives and friends of Rodrigo Navia Melendro.
DIRECTOR
- Maria Claudia Ocampo
Email: fundacion8abrazos@gmail.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
- Tita Navia
- Layla Navia
- Tatiana Carvajal
- Monica Jaramillo
- Monica Sandoval
ASSISTANT
- Michelle Calero
FOUNDING MEMBERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FOUNDATION
- Santiago Navia J.
- Esteban Navia J.
- Tita Navia M.
- Layla Navia M.
- Tatiana Carvajal L.
- Maria Cristina Arango G.
- Jose Fernando Jaramillo A.
- Monica Jaramillo A.
LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE
- Principal: Monica Jaramillo A
- Alternate: Layla Navia y Tatiana Carvajal.
FISCAL AUDITOR
- Jenny Bonilla Gravenhorst