Messi says it's a "dream come true" to help launch Paediatric Cancer Center

Lionel Messi showed once again that he's a crack on and off the pitch. On Thursday, he attended an event at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu for the launch of the SDJ Paediatric Cancer Center in Barcelona -- a project which he is heavily involved in.

Messi helped raise awareness of the campaign through the #ForTheBrave hashtag and his Foundation is one of the donors. 

The project needed 30 million euros to go ahead and on Thursday, Messi, through his Foundation, along with FC Barcelona and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation agreed to pledge the final 2.7 million euros needed to hit the target. 

"It's a pleasure to be able to be here. It's a happy moment, it's extraordinary to be part of this project and to see it become a reality," Messi said.

"I'm grateful to everyone that has collaborated for it to become possible. I hope that with this the kids can keep fighting such a cruel disease, which is what cancer is, and that we can help. I'm happy to have been able to collaborate with this dream."  

Barça VP Jordi Cardoner then announced that the founding donors, including FC Barcelona and The Leo Messi Foundation have agreed to stump up the final 2.7 million euros, meaning the 30 million target has now been hit. (Work was starting as of this morning with 27.3 million)

The centre is destined to be one of the largest and most important paediatric centres in Europe, fighting cancer in children.