The Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal Foundation (FMCSV) was created in 1965 by banker Gastão Eduardo de Bueno Vidigal and his wife Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal, after the death of the couple’s thirteen year old daughter, Maria Cecilia, a victim of leukemia.
Given the lack of research and knowledge about leukemia in Brazil at the time and the need for investments in teaching, research, and care for patients, FMCSV was created with the intention of creating, developing and making available to society a hematology laboratory for the diagnosis of leukemia. With the professional help of the best scientists in hematology of the Medical College of São Paulo University (USP), the laboratory became a reference in research and documentation on hematology, especially due to its specialized library.
The Foundation has developed this pioneering project for forty years. However, over time, scientific progress has made great strides in new technologies for research, diagnosis and treatment, which have substantially changed the understanding of leukemia. This has led to the creation of new hematology centers in Brazil.
In 2001, the second and third generations of the founder's family decided to review FMCSV’s Mission with the intention of adapting its role to the current needs of society.
The results of this review were the choice of Early Childhood Development as the main focus of activity of FMCSV, the adoption of a new Vision and a new Mission and the transfer of the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal laboratories to the Hematology Department of the Medical School Foundation of São Paulo University at the Das Clínicas Hospital.
Currently, FMCSV’s program has a large Zero to Three Program, which has several projects to encourage the development of children in this age group and it continues to have ties with its origins by maintaining the physical infrastructure of five laboratories, one clinic and a library, all aimed at Hematology and which are managed and operated by the Das Clínicas Hospital.