Sydney Blood Cancer Research Institute is delighted to be the recipient of $30,000 from The Association St Sebastian Martyr of Cerami (Enna).
Enna Donation
Professor John Gibson receiving the generous donation from The Association St Sebastian Martyr of Cerami (Enna) on behalf of the Sydney Blood Cancer Research Institute
We thank the Association for their generous donation which will be utilised to continue our vital work in researching blood cancers.
The history of The Association St Sebastian Martyr of Cerami (Enna)
The Association St Sebastian Martyr of Cerami (Enna) in Sydney was established in 1981 by a group of Italian migrants born in Cerami, a small town in the province of Enna in Sicily of which St Sebastian is the Patron Saint. St Sebastian is celebrated twice a year in Cerami, on the feast day 20 January and 28 August, the entire town breaks into spectacular festival attended by many devotees from Cerami and beyond.
The Association was formed to bring a statute of St Sebastian to Australia so that the community of Cerami born migrants could continue to celebrate the traditions of their hometown and celebrate their patron saint and protector in Australia where they had made their new lives.
Once formed the Association not only hosted bi-annual masses and feast days for its Saint but also united migrants of Cerami, their families, other Italian and non-Italian communities through social and cultural events hosted on a regular basis including picnics, bus trips, feast days, open air masses and excursions.
The Board of Directors are aging and whilst St Sebastian is in their hearts, their children and grandchildren have integrated with other communities and the reality is that the need for a network of 'Ceramisi' is not as relevant today as it was for the founders.
Becoming harder and harder to travel to Marulan and the gradual decline in members (due to illness and death) as well as the knock on effect of COVID reducing the number of events being hosted and increasing holding costs, the difficult decision was made to sell the land.
In accordance with its constitution, the Association's Board of Directors resolved to distribute the bulk of the proceeds to organisations, foundations, centres for research and charities.
The proceeds are being gifted to many areas of need for the benefit of not just people of Cerami but for the wider community.