A very special event organized by exceptional individuals: the parents and oncologists of the Italian Neuroblastoma Association and Centre for Research on Paediatric Solid Tumours. Through events like this, the Association, which was set up in Genoa in 1993 but operates across Italy and currently has around 115,000 members, strives to raise money to support and promote research on childhood tumours and, in particular, neuroblastoma, today considered the leading cause of death from illness in pre-school children. The concert, organized by the members of the Padua section, Patrizia and Stefano Boffo, with the support of Dr. Giovanni Sato, will be an opportunity to raise money through the sale of tickets and the support of patrons, such as Antonveneta Bank and the Rotary Club of Padua, in addition to a number of other local businesses like DAB Pumps of Mestrino (Padua). Nonetheless, it is not only the good cause that makes the event commendable: the artistic and musical merit of the concert is also truly outstanding, as is apparent from the names on the advertising poster. The concert will be conducted by maestro Dario Bisso Sabàdin, who is happy to appear free of charge, conducting the Italian Philharmonic Orchestra, which will play Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss in the Pollini Auditorium in Padua on 11th December at 9 pm. As if that weren’t enough, two leading stars of Italian lyric opera will also be performing: mezzosoprano Veronica Filippi and bass Maurizio Franceschetti. “This is an important opportunity” says Patrizia Boffo “to fund ongoing research projects which our Association believes in and firmly supports. Updating and boosting laboratories with the addition of new equipment, and indeed a whole range of activities involved in research on paediatric tumours, are very costly indeed, but it’s vital to help and give new hope to these families and to their children, who show remarkable dignity in facing this dreadful illness”. Tickets can be bought in advance from Gabbia Dischi in via Dante and the Armellin music bookshop in Riviera San Benedetto in Padua.