IdISBa Receives a Charitable Legacy to Advance Health Research
Menorcan pharmacist Eugenia Saura dedicated part of her estate to biomedical research, turning her commitment to people into a lasting contribution for future generations
The Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) has received a €700,000 donation from the charitable legacy of Auxiliadora Eugenia Saura Guillén, a Menorcan pharmacist who chose to allocate part of her estate to health research in order to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge and the improvement of people's health.
The donation, one of the largest ever received by the institution through this type of contribution, comes from the sale of a property in Arenal d'en Castell (Menorca), a building that for many years housed the pharmacy where Eugenia Saura developed much of her professional career.
Born in Maó on 6 June 1945, Eugenia Saura devoted her life to healthcare. After studying Pharmacy, she worked for several years at the Mateu Orfila laboratory before launching her own professional project by establishing a clinical analysis laboratory. When that stage of her career came to an end, she donated all its medical equipment to Father Bonet to support his healthcare work in Africa, already demonstrating her strong commitment to helping others.
In the early 1980s, she opened a pharmacy in Arenal d'en Castell, where she worked until her retirement. Those who knew her remember her as a discreet, generous person who was always willing to support charitable causes. Throughout her life, she regularly donated to organizations such as the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, Anesvad, SOS Children's Villages, the Josep Carreras Foundation, and the Spanish Association Against Cancer.
Her commitment to medical research was also shaped by her own personal experience. Both she and several of her siblings suffered from vision problems, a circumstance that strengthened her conviction about the importance of advancing scientific knowledge and developing new treatments. For this reason, she stipulated in her will that a significant portion of her estate should be allocated to the La Mácula Foundation and to the former Mateu Orfila Foundation, now IdISBa.
Thanks to this decision, her legacy will help support scientific projects aimed at improving our understanding of diseases, developing new therapies, and enhancing patients' quality of life.
A Legacy That Goes Beyond a Lifetime
Eugenia Saura's story is that of a healthcare professional who made solidarity a way of life. First by caring for patients through her pharmacy, then by supporting humanitarian organizations, and finally by dedicating part of her estate to biomedical research.
Her legacy demonstrates that health research advances not only through the work of scientists and healthcare professionals, but also through the trust and commitment of people who believe in the value of science as a tool for building a better future.
Through her decision, Eugenia Saura transformed the efforts of a lifetime into new opportunities for research and hope for thousands of people. Her example of generosity may inspire others to contribute, through charitable legacies, to the advancement of health and knowledge.