Colombia’s rock icon Juanes and his wife will host the special return of the star-studded St. Jude Angles & Stars Gala on Saturday to mark the charity hospital’s 50th anniversary.
Juanes and his wife, television host and actress Karen Martinez, will present the evening’s celebrations, two years after Juanes was recognized for his international humanitarian work with the organization’s Al-Rashid Hope Award.
The 10th annual Angles & Stars Gala, held in Miami, supports the international arm of the U.S.-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It runs clinics in 19 countries and works to improve the survival rate of children with cancer and other diseases.
Juanes has praised the charity’s efforts to help sick children and said he was honored when presented with its humanitarian award in 2010.
He lauded the organization’s “mission to save the lives of children with cancer” and the “great work that St. Jude’s does in other countries around the world.”
“As a father, I can’t help but be profoundly touched by the children who are currently being treated at St. Jude,” he said. “At this great hospital our children have hope.”
Juanes’ many charitable efforts include his own Fundacion Mi Sangre (My Blood Foundation), which fights the use of anti-personnel mines in Colombia and around the world.
The Colombian rocker has been presented with numerous other accolades for his work.
The French government awarded him the Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, he has been honored by Sir Paul McCartney and was named 2008 “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Organization of American States. Juanes was also awarded with Colombia’s National Peace Prize in 2009.