Prime Minister Robert Abela said this evening the government will be giving €250,000 to a man who needs medical assistance in his fight against an aggressive form of leukaemia.

The government's donation of €250,000 matched the €250,000 that had been collected through public donations in less than 24 hours, bringing the total to the €500,000 needed to give Sandro Grech a fighting chance at life. It was a moment that captured the spirit of a nation - proof that when Malta comes together, compassion becomes action.

The family later said that the crowdfunding exercise was stopped soon after the Prime Minister's announcement, when close to €400,000 had been collected.

Abela announced the government's contribution through a heartfelt message on social media, describing Sandro's story as a powerful reminder of what defines the Maltese people: solidarity. The Prime Minister recalled meeting Sandro while visiting families supported by Puttinu Cares in England, where he witnessed first-hand Sandro's courage and determination in the face of immense hardship. Moved by this strength, the government, through the Ministries for Finance and Health, decided to intervene to offer hope when it was needed most.

Sandro Grech is a 41-year-old father of two young daughters. Since January two years ago, he has been battling a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia. Over the past years, his life has been shaped by hospital wards, long treatments, and relentless uncertainty. He has undergone intensive chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants donated by his brother -each one a testament to family love and sacrifice.

Despite his resilience and unwavering determination, Sandro's condition has worsened. Conventional treatment options have been exhausted, leaving him without further solutions locally. Yet hope remains alive through a specialised treatment available in Singapore known as CD7 CAR-T therapy. This advanced therapy trains a patient's own cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells, offering renewed possibility not only for Sandro but for others suffering from similar forms of leukaemia and lymphoma.

The cost of this life-saving treatment is €500,000 - an amount that once seemed overwhelming. But within a single day, the Maltese public raised €250,000, showing extraordinary generosity and unity. The government's decision to contribute the remaining half transformed hope into reality.

In a post on Facebook, Grech's family thanked  Prime Minister Robert Abela and the Government for the "wonderful news we have just received, that €250,000 will be allocated so that Sandro can receive treatment in Singapore".

As the Prime Minister himself said, solidarity is truly the greatest gift the Maltese people possess, a post written by Abigail Borg said.

"We are deeply grateful to every person who has supported us throughout these difficult months, and especially to all those who made donations in the past hours. We appreciated every single euro given, because each euro was a step closer to reaching the required amount.

"This is truly a Christmas miracle," Borg wrote. The family said that the crowdfunding campaign has been stopped and the next steps are being taken "to ensure that the funds donated through the crowdfunding platform are collected and directed towards Sandro's cause".

The crowdfunding campaign closed with a total of €366,846, with a further €29,762 collected through the APS account (which includes Revolut donations), bringing the overall total to €396,608.

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and will keep you updated on everything that happens from now on."