ASM – PSG: moving tribute to paediatric cancer charity Fondation Flavien
AS Monaco and its chairman Dmitry Rybolovlev paid tribute to the Fondation Flavien at the home match against Paris Saint Germain © AS Monaco
The Principality’s club dedicated the match to the Monegasque charity, which was founded by Denis Maccario ten years ago.
It was an emotional moment at the kick-off of the match between AS Monaco and PSG on Friday 1 March. Introduced by Denis Maccario and Enzo, a young supporter of the Red and Whites who has been affected by the disease for ten years and is now in remission, the game got underway amidst much applause from the crowd. “It was the weekend’s main fixture, watched by a full stadium and broadcast on television. This meant we could reach out to people who were watching the match to help us,” says Denis Maccario.
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Having been involved with the Fondation Flavien for a number of years, the Monaco Club and its chairman Dmitry Rybolovlev wanted to make a big impact, two weeks after International Childhood Cancer Day. “Two people have made donations since the match already, and that’s just brilliant,” adds Denis Maccario. Mission accomplished, without a doubt.
A special dedication for a very special month
For the past ten years, Denis Maccario has been fighting an ongoing battle in the hope of finding a cure for paediatric cancer. In August 2014, he created the Fondation Flavien as a tribute to his son, who had died of a brain tumour five months earlier, aged just eight.
Every day, Flavien’s Dad continues the fight to save the other children. “To date, we are finalising a clinical trial called Mependax. It will enable 36 children to receive the ‘molecule of hope’ that Pfizer donated to us free of charge, and that has already been used on adult patients,” he explains.
Denis is hoping to see a solution at last, after so much hard work. “I’ve been waiting since last year for the trial to become a reality, but these things take so long… We’re financially ready, all we need now is the administrative side, so we’re well on the way,” he says.
Denis was able to enjoy the special match with Enzo, diagnosed at the same time as his son passed away, and now in remission. They were able to watch the match from seats right next to the pitch, in personalised shirts, gifted to them just before the match. Along with them was Aaron, a young PSG fan, while Florian, currently in hospital, was able to enjoy the magical evening remotely, as if he were in the stadium, thanks to an Awabot robot.
Strong ties with AS Monaco and President Rybolovlev since the beginning
The club’s support for Denis is nothing new. It began in 2014, even before the Foundation was created. “I still remember that day. It was the first home match after Flavien passed away. The club showed its support for the family by displaying ‘Jedi’ on the big screen, in tribute to my son.”
In 2018, President Dmitry Rybolovlev invited Enzo to Bordeaux for the League Cup final, along with two Monaco supporters who had cycled over 1,000 kilometres in aid of the Fondation Flavien.
Friday also saw President Dmitry Rybolovlev make a personal donation to the charity, in renewed support of Fondation Flavien’s efforts. A gesture that Denis won’t be forgetting any time soon. “When I saw him on Friday, he encouraged us and congratulated us. I hope to be able to take him on a tour of the research laboratory, so that we can show him where the money goes,” he continues.
An auction to raise funds
AS Monaco continues to help Denis achieve his goals. On Monday evening, March 4, an auction was organised by the club on the Catawiki platform with a special prize. “It’s a fabulous prize, with signed shirts from both teams, a private tour of the new Performance Centre and even a meeting with a player,” explains Denis. The funds raised will be donated to the charity, which will then finance the scientific centre and other research teams, in the hope of moving the clinical trial forward.
A few days after the match on 1 March, the Fondation Flavien Foundation is already back at work. “In the near future, we will be helping families to pay for their children’s funeral expenses. And we’ll continue to fund research throughout,” he concludes. You can support their cause by making a donation.