On Friday 17 May, the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God inaugurated the programme to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its arrival in Tenerife.

The official ceremony was attended by the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, who was accompanied by the President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Elena Dávila and other authorities, as well as the Bishop of the Diocese, Bernardo Álvarez, the Superior General of the Order, Brother Jesús Etayo, the Provincial Superior, Brother Amador Fernández, Brother José Cardenas, a reference for this House, the Management Team of the Centre and a fine group of Brothers and Co-workers from other Houses of the Order in Spain.

The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, paid tribute to the work of the Hospitaller Order in these 75 years of history. He stressed in this connection that the birth "of this hospital in 1949 provided an essential service to the citizens of Tenerife in those years, especially for children, and continues to do so now with a wider range of services". He emphasised its "experience and commitment", and also appreciated its work with the public health system in the Islands, specifically in the case of Tenerife in areas such as surgical and diagnostic work, and in recent years in caring for people with intellectual disabilities, thereby helping "to take care of the most precious asset we have, our health".

For his part, Brother Jesús Etayo expressed his gratitude for the support of Canarian society for the work carried out by the Order on the islands, as well as to the public institutions and the Diocese of Nivares. "Our desire is to increase our work with the local and regional public health services, with new hospital services and in new health and social care projects," he said.

In his speech he recalled that the evolution of the Saint John of God Centre since its arrival in Tenerife had been an example of keeping up to date, flexible and readiness to provide a response to social needs. "It arrived for the treatment and rehabilitation of children with the after-effects of poliomyelitis, but when this need was overcome, the Home was able to transform itself into the Saint John of God Medical and Surgical Hospital and later welcomed the request that it was made to care for people with intellectual disabilities in Tenerife".

The day began with a Thanksgiving Eucharist presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Tenerife and concelebrated by the Superior General and the Provincial Superior.

At the present time, the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God in Tenerife has a modern medical-surgical hospital and a disability area specialising in care for adults with intellectual impairment and serious behavioural disorders, where it implements a holistic care model revoling around the person in care and their social and family environment, tailored to meet the challenges of today's society.

Commemorative video