history - Liga Puertorriqueña Contra el Cáncer

While the Puerto Rican League focused on its fundraising campaign to complete the establishment of Betances Hospital, it was also considering applying for federal funds through the HillBurton proposal allocated to the construction of hospitals for the care of chronic conditions.

On the other hand, the appointment of the Secretary of Health, Dr. Guillermo Arbona Irrizarry, considered the architect of the island's health system, took place. Among his great contributions was the creation, planning and operation of a model for the provision of shared services among hospital institutions, which today is known as the Medical Center, protected by law in 1957.

During the presidency of Dr. César Toro, successor of Dr. Isaac González Martínez on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican League, conversations began with the new Secretary of Health with the proposal that the dream hospital would be part of the Medical Center.
of the Medical Center.

In the photo we can only identify Dr. Guillermo Arbona, fourth from left to right, in the sixth position is Lcdo. Toro and the last one is the Mayor of San Juan, Felisa Rincón de Gautier.

On April 20, 1954, Dr. Isaac Gonzalez Martinez died in a deep sleep, with his glasses on, his lamp lit and in his hands he was holding an open science book, "Luminiscence and the Scintillation Counters".

His life stands out for his research trajectory and medical wisdom at local and international level. He created a concept of comprehensive care for cancer patients by providing specialized services under a single institution, ahead of the current era. He worked until his last day and studied until the moment of his departure.

His departure caused a great stir in the print media, to the point that there was mourning in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Below are copies of reviews.

At that time, Dr. Isaac González Martínez was hospitalized in very delicate health, so he was represented by the First Lady of the Country, Mrs. Inés Mendoza de Muñoz Marín.

On March 11, 1954, the ceremonial ceremony for the laying of the first stone for the construction of the Betances Hospital was held.
Betances Hospital.

Plans for the construction of the Betances Hospital continued and on June 27, 1953, architect Rafael Carmoega submitted the plans for the new hospital at a cost of US$1 million, for approval by the Department of Health and the Planning Board.

After the founding of the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer in 1938 and during his career, Dr. González Martínez contemplated the need to create a specialized hospital to fight cancer, which the Betances Association considered that their hospital should be established next to the Puerto Rican League Hospital, but when they did not achieve their purpose, they joined forces for the benefit of the country. From there the agreement with the League arises, making delivery of all its cash capital and bonds of the Government of the United States amounting to $100,000.00. This amount was given to the Puerto Rican League, allowing the purchase of a piece of land in Hato Rey, at stop 34 between Ponce de Leon and Muñoz Rivera Avenue.

The Betances Hospital Association was founded in March 1924 by a group of citizens and doctors, including Dr. González Martínez. The main objective was to establish a community hospital for non-financial purposes.

In an Extraordinary General Assembly held on July 28, 1951, an agreement was signed between the Liga Puertorriqueña and the Asociación Hospital Betances, whose merger gave way to the construction of a general hospital that would be called "Hospital Betances-Centro Médico-Quirúrgico e Instituto de Radioterapia" (Betances Hospital-Medical and Surgical Center and Radiotherapy Institute).

Doña Felisa Rincón de Gautier, Mayor of San Juan and the First Lady, Mrs. Inés Mendoza de Muñoz Marín, followed by Dr. Isaac González Martínez. This visit to cancer patients, when the clinic was located at Calle del Parque #229 in Santurce.

Director and screenwriter Fernando Cortés and his wife, María del Pilar Cordero, niece of Paquito Cordero, better known artistically as Mapy Cortés, both of Puerto Rican origin, whose fame through their film career has transcended Spain, Argentina, Cuba, Hollywood, Venezuela and especially Mexico.

During one of his visits to the island, he is pictured here with Dr. Isaac González Martínez.

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1953

April 20, 1954

March 11, 1954

March 11, 1954

June 27, 1953

1938

March 1924

July 28, 1951

1944

1954

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