Forget April in Paris. Spring was in full bloom for the annual Board meeting of the José Carreras International Leukemia Foundation in Barcelona in early April. The weather was warm and sunny, the flower vendors along Las Ramblas were offering beautiful items from roses to orchids, and the rebuilding of the opera house is in full swing.

Foundation news is all good. José has performed charity recitals and concerts in Munich, Istanbul, Rotterdam, and Barcelona in the last year. In addition, the fourth annual Christmas Television Marathon in Germany continued to attract a huge audience. REDMO, the Spanish equivalent to the U.S. National Bone Marrow Donor Program, has now recruited 33,938 donors, of whom 27,768 have been typed. Donor matches were found for 129 patients in 1998, 109 for marrows and 20 for cord blood. Eight marrows from Spanish donors were provided for non-Spanish patients. The cord blood program now has 2,136 units available in Spanish Cord Blood Banks. The Foundation also provides grants to several hospitals for special joint research activities. Social services to patients and families in need are provided with assistance in housing at treatment centers.

Dottie Thomas is Treasurer of the Friends’ Board.