The Foundation

The Foundation named after Pier Giuseppe Beretta was set up according to his wishes in 1981. It was officially recognised by Presidential decree no. 275 of 20 April 1983. The aim of the Beretta Foundation is to carry out scientific research into malignant neoplasia; in particular, it deals with the collection and analysis of clinical and experimental data regarding different forms of cancer, as well as the indication of therapies for patients suffering from types of neoplasia, particularly breast or lung cancer, with special attention to prevention and immunology studies.

1981

The setting up of the Beretta Foundation

From the minutes of the board meeting of Pietro Beretta S.p.A. arms manufacturing company of 11/12/1981, first item on the agenda: “The setting up of the Beretta Foundation”

“For a long time I have been thinking of a project, to be promoted by Beretta, that would give doctors (my age would suggest I should say young doctors) the opportunity to dedicate time and energy to research, to the collection and analysis of clinical and experimental data regarding cancer…

“For a long time I have been thinking of a project, to be promoted by Beretta, that would give doctors (my age would suggest I should say young doctors) the opportunity to dedicate time and energy to research, to the collection and analysis of clinical and experimental data regarding cancer, indicating the most suitable type of chemotherapy for patients suffering from neoplasia, in particular, breast and lung cancer. Special attention will be given to studying methods of prevention and immunology. A few considerations will, I think, justify my idea.

The first is that it seems right that, whenever possible, a manufacturing company should be concerned about social and health factors in the world around; in this way we continue the tradition of the Beretta family in Gardone V.T. The second: it seems to me that medical research in this sector lacks data coming from experimentation, from statistics and from a link with what is going on elsewhere, which, in the eye of a manufacturer is the necessary basis for any kind of serious activity, whether it be industrial or scientific. And in this way a project started by those “outside the field” could be valuable.”

Cav. Pier Giuseppe Beretta
Chairman of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta

1989

General Motors donates $500,000 to the Beretta Foundation

On 25 May 1989 the Chairman of Pietro Beretta S.p.A., arms manufacturing company, and the Chairman of General Motors met to sign an agreement to settle a dispute over trademark use, making a contribution to the Beretta Foundation through the hands of Prof. Goldbirsch.

Pier Giuseppe Beretta received the donation of $500,000 from Mr. Roger B. Smith, president of General Motors, on behalf of the Beretta Foundation for Cancer Research and Treatment. At the same time the Pietro Beretta arms manufacturing company gave General Motors the right to use its name and trademark for a prestigious Chevrolet car.

“We are satisfied that the result of this agreement will be to help fight a disease that causes victims in all countries.”
Pier Giuseppe Beretta – Chairman of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta”

““General Motors is happy that the result of this agreement will go to help cancer research because this has been one of our key commitments for many years. ”
Mr. Roger B. Smith – Chairman of General Motors”

1993

The first ten years of activity

From the minutes of the board meeting of the Beretta Foundation of 12/11/1993

“I would like to remind you of the significance of today’s meeting in the life of The Beretta Foundation. It is the first time in the ten years of the Foundation’s existence that the chair at thismeeting has not been held by Pier Giuseppe Beretta…

“Vorrei ricordare come la riunione di oggi sia una tappa importante ed essenziale per la Fondazione Beretta. È la prima volta, con la conclusione del decimo anno di attività, che a presiedere questo Consiglio non è il Dott. Pier Giuseppe Beretta. La sua scomparsa è stata commemorata in molte sedi in tutto il mondo e molte volte si è ricordato come le Sue qualità fossero molteplici, facendo di lui un uomo a tutti gli effetti straordinariamente completo ed eminente in molti campi: nella politica, nell’economia, nell’arte e nella musica.

Tutti noi che lo abbiamo conosciuto sappiamo che fu attento a qualsiasi aggregazione socialmente rilevante e ricordiamo con quale capacità e con quanto entusiasmo ha pensato, voluto ed ha contribuito alla realizzazione di questo progetto, ora diventata realtà, che è la nostra Fondazione.”

Avv. Angelo Rampinelli Rota
Member of the Board

2003

Confirming our commitment

From the papers of the Conference of 17/05/2003 on “Breast Cancer: state of the art and controversy”.

“Over twenty years after its foundation and on the tenth anniversary of the death of its founder, this is maybe the right time to make a quick personal evaluation of the work of the Foundation that I have the honour to head as Chairman of the Pietro Beretta S.p.A. …”

“Over twenty years after its foundation and on the tenth anniversary of the death of its founder, this is maybe the right time to make a quick personal evaluation of the work of the Foundation that I have the honour to head as Chairman of the Pietro Beretta S.p.A. arms manufacturing company. Before making any consideration, however, I would like to confirm, on this double anniversary, that the Beretta company has no intention of bringing its commitment to an end. The title of today’s conference: the first Beretta Foundation oncology day, is better than any declaration as confirmation of this commitment. It is implicit that other days will follow the first. This is a commitment that the company I head is very happy to take on. Moreover I feel well supported in this commitment to go ahead with our work.

Of the three doctors, whose names appear on the programme under the figure of Botticelli’s Venus carrying out a palpation correctly, Aron Goldhirsch and Giovanni Marini are still the same doctors who first represented the Foundation twenty years ago and Edda Simoncini is the first of many scholarship holders. Maybe they are no longer such “young doctors” but they are still just as or even more passionate about and dedicated to their work. This, in my opinion, is how the fruits of the Foundation should be measured because it has gathered more than its economic means allowed.

The Foundation would like to think that it has, at least in part, contributed to supporting and encouraging these patient, intelligent doctors from Brescia in stubbornly carrying out their work, overcoming discouraging obstacles; in this way helping the seeds of oncological research in Brescia to spread to other institutions beyond the walls of the hospital and the Foundation to come to mean something real and significant, linked to the wider world of science. The constant, generous and learned presence of Aron Goldhirsch has been fundamental in this respect. I do not want this address to become a celebration of what has been done; I know a summary report on this is in the process of being written. However, I have to say that the fact of being here on this day, when our Foundation is contributing to illustrate the “state of the art” in the context of world science, can only confirm that the Foundation is carrying out its task along the lines sketched out by its founder.”

 

Cav. Ugo Gussalli Beretta
Chairman of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta