The upcoming Health Revolution Congress on May 17th is the largest European Summit in Digital Health, where global startups & stakeholders join forces in Barcelona. The event, powered by Barcelona Health Hub, provides you inside knowledge of cutting-edge technologies, new tendencies and future solutions. Let’s explore today’s digital health solutions for tomorrow’s health!
One of the companies you can meet at the Health Revolution Congress is The Ricky Rubio Foundation. This foundation focuses on two main priority areas. On the one hand, the organization’s programs and initiatives are focused on and inclusive of children who are differently-abled, children who are undergoing treatment for diseases, and children who live in low-income areas. They are committed to supporting their growth (physically, mentally and emotionally) so that they can develop healthy and lasting habits. On the other hand, TRRF is a tireless advocate in the fight against lung cancer and is focused on awareness, education, research, and prevention of the disease. They are also committed to providing patients and their families with additional resources inclusive of emotional support throughout their diagnosis and treatment schedule.
Today we meet with Josep Heredia of The Ricky Rubio Foundation, who will share with us more about their expectations for the Health Revolution Congress.
Josep, we’re looking forward to seeing you at the Health Revolution Congress. Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about The Ricky Rubio Foundation?
I’m Josep Heredia, and I’m the Foundation Manager for the Ricky Rubio Foundation. I’ve been working for the foundation since 2018, after starting to work with Ricky personally in Utah in 2017.
The Ricky Rubio Foundation is a charitable organization that was founded by Ricky Rubio, who is still an active NBA player. Our foundation is focused on using the power of sports to help children and families in need, as well as supporting research into the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Our main areas of focus are Children and lung cancer. We believe in providing support and resources to children who are facing challenges such as illness or poverty. Through our various programs and initiatives, we aim to improve the quality of life for these children and help them reach their full potential.
We are also committed to fighting lung cancer by funding research and raising awareness about the disease. Our goal is to improve prevention, early detection, and treatment options for those affected by lung cancer. At the Ricky Rubio Foundation, we work closely with Ricky and our team to manage and develop innovative projects that align with our values and have a positive impact on society. We strive to be an innovative foundation that creates useful projects to help as many people as possible. Ricky is 100% involved in the foundation and attends weekly meetings to share his focus, ensuring that our projects stay true to his values.
Can you elaborate more about your two focus areas of The Ricky Rubio Foundation?
The Ricky Rubio Foundation has two main focuses. The first focus is on children. We have various projects designed to support children who are facing illnesses or other challenges.
One of our most significant projects in this area is the Luca Project, which provides emotional support to children and their families as they fight their illnesses. Through the Luca Project, we bring families together to create their own support groups. Additionally, we have an initiative where Ricky is personally involved and spends time with the children to lift their spirits. Another project aimed at children is the I’m Already project. It’s a virtual reality tool that helps children and their families understand radiotherapy. This tool helps them prepare for treatment and alleviate anxiety. We are also developing a pediatric gym inside Vall d’Hebron Hospital that will help children recover more quickly and efficiently. This gym will provide children with access to physical therapy and rehabilitation services to support their recovery.
On the basketball side, we have two different projects. The first one is the Community Team, which teaches underprivileged children life values through basketball. This project aims to give children access to sports who might not have had the opportunity before. The other project is our Annual Special Olympics tournament. During this tournament, we bring together children with disabilities and children who don’t have them to participate in sports. This tournament promotes inclusion and teamwork and is a significant event for the children who participate.
The second focus is on lung cancer. We have several projects and initiatives designed to support research into the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. One of our significant projects in this area is the annual conventions we organize to raise awareness about lung cancer. We also run campaigns to promote smoking cessation and lung cancer awareness. Currently, we are developing a research project that focuses on physical training to help lung cancer patients. This project aims to improve the quality of life for lung cancer patients and enhance their physical capabilities to cope with their disease.
Currently, we are developing a research project that focuses on physical training to help lung cancer patients. This project aims to improve the quality of life for lung cancer patients and enhance their physical capabilities to cope with their disease. Another project that the Ricky Rubio Foundation is attached to is CASSANDRA, a national lung cancer screening pilot program. The goal of this project is to detect lung cancer early and save lives since early detection for lung cancer is critical. By identifying lung cancer in its early stages, we can improve treatment outcomes and provide patients with the best chance for recovery.
Can you elaborate a little bit more about your relationship with healthcare?
The Ricky Rubio Foundation has a strong link to healthcare, with a focus on supporting children and families facing illnesses or other health challenges. Through projects like the Luca Project and the development of a pediatric gym inside Vall d’Hebron Hospital, we provide emotional and physical support to children and their families to help them on their road to recovery. Our I’m Already project, which uses virtual reality to prepare children for radiotherapy, is another example of how we use technology to support healthcare initiatives.
In addition to these projects, we also support lung cancer research and prevention through initiatives like the CASSANDRA program and our annual conventions to raise awareness about lung cancer. We believe that early detection and prevention are critical in the fight against this disease and are committed to supporting research efforts that lead to better outcomes for patients.
Overall, the Ricky Rubio Foundation‘s link to healthcare is a vital part of our mission to improve the lives of those facing health challenges and to promote greater awareness and understanding of health issues in the community.
Of course, Barcelona Health Hub is thrilled to have you at this largest European congress in digital health. Could you share why you decided to join the Health Revolution Congress?
The Ricky Rubio Foundation is excited to participate in the Health Revolution Congress because we believe that digital health is an important tool in providing better solutions and support for patients and healthcare providers. As an innovative foundation that seeks to create useful projects to help as many people as possible, we see digital health as a key area where we can make a difference.
The Congress is an excellent opportunity for us to connect with other stakeholders in the digital health ecosystem, including global startups, pharma headquarters, investors, and innovative hospitals. We are particularly interested in learning about cutting-edge technologies, new tendencies, and future solutions that could help us further our mission of supporting children and families facing health challenges. Moreover, as a foundation, we are committed to helping startups that are developing technological solutions to be able to get to hospitals faster and make an impact. We believe that by collaborating with these startups, we can help accelerate the development and adoption of innovative digital health solutions that could benefit patients worldwide.
We believe that the challenges facing healthcare systems worldwide can be addressed by embracing digital health and innovative solutions. By participating in the Health Revolution Congress, we hope to gain valuable insights and knowledge that will help us create even more impactful projects and initiatives. Overall, the Health Revolution Congress is an exciting event that brings together the best minds and ideas in digital health, and we are thrilled to be part of this global community.
You’re also giving a keynote speech. Can you elaborate a bit about your key message?
At the Ricky Rubio Foundation, we believe that partnerships with startups can be a win-win approach for everyone involved. By collaborating with startups that are developing innovative technological solutions, we can help accelerate the development and adoption of solutions that can benefit children and families facing health challenges.
Startups often have a lot of creativity and innovative ideas, but they may not have the resources or connections to access hospitals or groups of patients. By partnering with a foundation like ours, startups can gain access to valuable networks and resources that can help them get their solutions to patients more quickly and effectively. At the same time, foundations like ours benefit from the expertise and innovative solutions that startups bring to the table. By partnering with startups, we can stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and approaches in digital health, and we can help bring these solutions to the communities we serve.
At the Health Revolution Congress, we want to share our experiences and successes in partnering with startups to bring innovative solutions to hospitals and groups of patients. We believe that by showcasing the Foundation-Startup Relationship as a win-win approach, we can inspire other foundations, startups, and healthcare providers to explore this collaborative model.
Overall, we see the Foundation-Startup Relationship as a powerful way to open doors to hospitals and groups of patients, and we look forward to sharing our insights and ideas at the Congress.
Don’t miss The Ricky Rubio Foundation at the Health Revolution Congress on May 17th! Be sure to reserve your seat on time and meet with global startups & stakeholders in Barcelona.
Get your ticket now HERE!