We are FCC - Nº13

derly (nearly always destitute) people with physical and mental disabilities, and the advancement of biomedical research. It also awards scholarships and study grants. Nuestra Casa Residence in Colla- do Villalba (Madrid) Since its creation, it has been helping to build and equip the Residencia Nuestra Casa home for the elderly in Collado Villalba (Madrid) which can accommodate over 140 residents, in addition to 60 daytime places. Since 2001, it has been providing excellent facilities for the elderly, both those who are in good health and those with ill - nesses such as Alzheimer’s. It has also built the Residencia Fort Pienc home for the elderly, in Barcelona, which focuses on accommodating el - derly people requiring different types of care depending on their current condition, with capacity for 140 resi - dents, in addition to 60 daytime pla - ces. The Foundation has now built and equipped a third home, Nostra Casa del Vall de la Ballestera, in Valencia, for people with a variety of physical and mental disabilities requiring highly specialised care, and which has all manner of facilities for the treatment and care for its 60 residents; there is a second Nido Foundation building in Madrid that is a rehabilitation centre for children with cerebral palsy. Barcelona Special mention should also go to the Esther Koplowitz Centre in Bar - celona, a complex inaugurated on 4 October, 2010 and one of the most notable biomedical research cen - tres in Europe. The CEK continues to have an ex - tensive scientific output, it produces more than 100 scientific articles a year and makes important contri - butions in different fields, such as oncology, digestive diseases and arteriosclerosis and poverty-rela - ted diseases, including malaria. 500 scientists work at the centre, including researchers and experts on a number of scientific platforms. Other initiatives It has also been responsible for do - nating the first surgical robot to the Hospital Clínico in Madrid, where it has performed 1095 operations, and for building and equipping a student residence at the Francisco de Vitoria University, where more than 1600 grants will have been awarded by the end of this year. It has also made donations to more than 200 charities. Numerous awards In recognition for her work, Esther Koplowitz has received nume - rous honours, including the Grand Cross for Social Solidarity, presen - ted by HM Queen Sofía of Spain; the Grand Cross for Civil Merit; the Grand Cross of the Civil Guard, for helping victims, the Blanquerna Pri - ze from the Regional Government of Catalonia; the Gold Medal of Barce - lona University, and she has been given the Freedom of the City by Barcelona and Valencia. Esther Koplowitz alluded to the example set by the work undertaken by Queen Sofia, whom she characterised as “the queen of solidarity”. 11