Government matches public donations with €250,000 to fund life-saving treatment for Sandro Grech

The government has pledged €250,000 to support Sandro Grech, a 41-year-old father of two who is battling an extremely rare and aggressive form of leukaemia, matching an equal amount raised by the public in less than 24 hours.

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced the contribution on Saturday evening, confirming that the state’s donation, made through the Ministries for Finance and Health, would bring the total funding required for treatment to €500,000. The funds will allow Grech to access a highly specialised CD7 CAR-T clinical trial in Singapore, which doctors have described as his only remaining treatment option.

Grech was diagnosed in January 2023 and has been fighting the disease for almost three years. He has already undergone intensive chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants donated by his brother. Despite these efforts, his condition has worsened and standard treatment options have been exhausted locally.

Without access to the treatment abroad, Grech is estimated to have only a few weeks left. The cost of the therapy meant the funds had to be raised privately, prompting a nationwide crowdfunding effort that drew widespread public and business support.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, the family confirmed the campaign was closed, with €366,846 raised through the platform and a further €29,762 collected via an APS account. The family said the next steps are now being taken to ensure the funds are transferred so treatment can proceed as quickly as possible.

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