A children’s hospital in Rio has virtually pleaded with four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy to reconsider visiting Brazil either before or after the Olympic Games to play golf.
The Little Prince Hospital is not only the largest in Brazil but South America, and with the patron of the hospital being legendary football star, Pele.
In the ‘open’ letter to McIlroy, the hospital suggests the 28-year old might ‘consider taking a lead in galvanising the sporting profession’ in supporting the hospitals medical researchers.
The hospital in the letter says it understands McIlroy’s decision not to tee-up in Rio but asks to help transform ‘your concerns around Zika, into a practical concern in supporting our medical research scientists who are not only working to protect our own mothers and children, but in the long-term, all mothers and children throughout the world.”
Photo – Daily Mail
An Open Letter to Rory McIlroy from Brazil
Dear Rory McIlroy,
These are difficult days for the people of Brazil with the Zika virus adding to our challenges.
We awoke on Wednesday last to learn of your decision to pull out of the Rio Olympic Games. The news reports say that you have done so because of personal concerns over the Zika virus. We understand your decision but, you too will understand our disappointment as many Brazilian people were looking forward to welcoming you to our beautiful country and the Olympic Games. We are certain too the people of Ireland are disappointed at your lose to the Irish Olympic team.
As you are aware, we wrote to you on 20 May 2016 with the support of our patron, Pelé, asking you to visit our hospital, the Little Prince Children’s Hospital, the biggest paediatric hospital in all of South America, during your visit to Brazil. We had hoped that you might consider, either before or after the Olympics, playing a game of golf to help our work. We are aware and full of admiration for your sense of social responsibility around sport. We applaud you for this.
While we understand your reasons for withdrawing from the Olympics, the reality for us is that the medical profession throughout Brazil still must deal with the threats posed by the Zika virus. We are not only fighting to contain and eliminate the virus, but we are also working desperately to stop it from spreading to Africa and Europe, and the rest of the world.
Through our European Ambassador, Don Mullan, we have already suggested that you might consider taking a lead in galvanising the sporting profession, beginning with your golfing fraternity, in supporting our medical researchers. Pelé has given his name to our Medical Research Institute and both Pelé, as well as the children we serve, would appreciate your humanity and support.
Having withdrawn from the Rio Olympics, we ask you, with dignity and respect, to transform your personal concerns around Zika, into a practical concern in supporting our medical research scientists who are not only working to protect our own mothers and children, but in the long-term, all mothers and children throughout the world.
We hope it will be possible to welcome you to Brazil in the future. In the meantime, we wish you good health and we look forward, hopefully, to your positive response.
Yours sincerely,
Jose Carneiro
CEO Little Prince Hospital Complex
CEO Pelé Little Prince Research Institute
