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FIFA Legends and FIFA World Cup winners Kaka, Francesco Totti and Alessandro del Piero have visited the pediatric unit at the Sidra Medicine facility in Doha where they chatted to the patients and their families, and gave them bags of football gifts.
Kaka told FIFA.com that the visit brought some happiness to the children, helping to take their minds, however briefly, away from their battle with often complicated illnesses. The Brazilian, who played at three FIFA World Cups and won a winners’ medal in 2002, said it was also a way of repaying football for everything it has given him.
“It’s very gratifying for us to have this moment, it means I can give a little back” he said. “I am very grateful to football, and for everything I have achieved thanks to this sport. I try to pay back in various ways, and this is one of them.”
He said the reaction of the children showed that such visits could make a difference – something which is one of the aims of the FIFA Legends. “The children look at things in a different way, with a bit of hope,” said Kaká. “You see a smile, they talk about football, have a joke, make a comment, ask questions.”
He added: “You see how such a simple gesture has such a big impact. You sit there and talk a little, you take a present, you see this happiness and their eyes shining.”
Like Kaká, Alessandro Del Piero said he was moved by the courage of the patients and their families.
“What is unbelievable is the strength of these kids and families, in these difficult situations, plus the support of the hospital and every single nurse, doctor and worker here,” said the Italian, who played at the FIFA World Cup in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and took home a winners’ medal in the last of those.
“The dedication is unbelievable, and what we are trying to do is to try and make some of them happy, try to think about something else with our visit, and football is one of the best vehicles to talk about something different.”
