MC Erasmus Thorax Foundation Gala: Style and fun for a good cause

At the Wereld Museum, located so beautifully on the glorious river Maas, overlooking the Erasmus Bridge and Hotel New York, 150 guests from tout Rotterdam, all transported by Mama Taxi that provides an ecological and top of the range taxi service, offering women from various ethnic groups with little access to work, a stable income, wandered into the reception on the first floor. The graceful and lively crowd of business people, heart surgeons, patrons, politicians and municipality, gathered for the lustrum of the MC Erasmus Thorax Foundation. Once in the majestic Ballroom, luminescent with its white walls and cream curtains, and comfortably seated at the elegantly decorated round tables, it took Bastiaan van der Knaap’s strong voice to get everyone’s attention.
The CEO of First Dutch extended a warm welcome in the name of Professor Jolien Roos-Hesselink, in the hope of handing her over a cheque which will make history by the end of the evening.
Professor Jolien in turn stressed how the event had been made possible thanks to the generosity of Bastiaan van de Knaap and Peter Goedvolk of Count Companies.
The Thorax Foundation came into being 5 years ago thanks to the support and enthusiasm of so many Ambassadors, such as Lisette Goedvolk.
Lady speaker Ghislaine Plag explained the MC Erasmus Thorax Foundation: Impulse 4 innovation. Its ambition: to be the most innovative centre of excellence and by facilitating top clinical research, save even more lives. Thanks to Professor Jolien, the Foundation is known worldwide. It works around a given project and this year is dedicated to Dr. Sin Yap and his project on the prevention of sudden death.
The Mayor of Rotterdam, Mr Aboutaleb gave a wonderful speech in his Sparta tie, regretting he could not stay as he needed to be at the stadium for the kick off, but was looking forward to being auctioned. Auction Master was Alexander Pechtold, a role he held masterly, with energy and shrewdness and an incredible amount of humour: entertainment at its best.
By the end of the auction 209.000 Euros was raised.
Leaving the room buzzing with laughter and conversation to the jazzy beat of the band, I felt humble and grateful to have been part of this wonderful gathering of friendly people, contributing with warm generosity to a very worthy cause.
And Sparta won!

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