Point 2 Point: Three friends, one journey, two causes that need us all
Douglas Barbaro-Sant, Joseph Casha and Daniel Abela
Three lifelong friends are turning endurance into empathy. Through the Point 2 Point Challenge, Daniel Abela, Douglas Barbaro-Sant, and Joseph Casha are running, swimming, and cycling across Malta and Gozo to raise €163,000 for Hospice Malta and the Children in Need Foundation. Their message: donate, and make every moment matter.
It began with three lifelong friends and a shared belief: that sport can be more than competition—it can be compassion in motion. Daniel Abela, Douglas Barbaro-Sant, and Joseph Casha created the GasanMamo Point 2 Point Challenge to channel their endurance into something far greater than themselves. Together, they will run, swim, and cycle across Gozo, Comino, and Malta—not for medals, but for meaning.
Their goal is simple yet urgent: raise €163,000 for two vital causes. The Children in Need Foundation will use the funds to build a dedicated Kids Haven at the YMCA for children experiencing homelessness. At the same time, Hospice Malta will continue to expand its holistic palliative care at the new St Michael's Hospice. Both charities address human needs at their most fragile—children without shelter, and families facing serious illness.
Download the official Point 2 Point Challenge presentation to discover the event, the causes it supports, and how you can donate.
This is a call not just to admire their journey, but to join it. Every donation, whether from individuals or businesses, is a step closer to giving comfort, dignity, and hope where it's needed most.
Daniel Abela
As founder and chairman of the Children in Need Foundation, Daniel Abela has long believed in the power of giving as a vehicle for change. For Point 2 Point, he brings that same energy and vision to an initiative that aims to fulfil his purpose and mission to create dignity and opportunity for disadvantaged children.
The Children in Need Foundation has supported hundreds of children through therapy, education, and inclusion programmes. For this challenge, which specific projects or needs do you most want the public to understand and support?
Unfortunately, homelessness and rooflessness are a reality in Malta, and this doesn't stop with adults. In some instances, this also affects parents with children who find themselves in challenging situations that most of us cannot even begin to imagine. During Christmas last year, following an article that featured in a local newspaper about children experiencing this horrible situation, we reached out to the YMCA to better understand the daily challenges faced by these children. From that first discussion, the idea of transforming the inside and outside areas at Dar Nikki Cassar into a KIDS Haven was born, and we have been working tirelessly to make it happen, so we can give these children a dedicated and comfortable space they so deserve. Nobody should experience this horrible situation of not having a roof over their head, let alone young children.
Endurance challenges have always been an integral part of your fundraising efforts. How do you think the physical journey of Point 2 Point helps symbolise the daily struggles that vulnerable children face?
“Nobody should experience the horror of not having a roof over their head—least of all children. That’s why I implore everyone to be generous and help us make this Haven a reality.”
You hit the nail on the head, as these endurance challenges are merely a reflection of the daily struggles these children and families face. This is not about records or personal achievements, but about symbolising the difficulties these children face at such a tender age. We have the luxury of stopping if we get tired, feel unwell, or simply have had enough. Can a child suffering from cancer decide to stop treatment, or a homeless child decide they've had enough roughing it, so they go back home? This is what the challenge represents: the pain, the struggles, the daily difficulties. And no matter how sick, unwell, or broken you feel, you simply need to soldier on. These kids and the families who face these situations are the ones who are truly teaching us something or two about endurance.
Children in residential care often require more than financial support—they need stability and healing. How will the funds raised through this initiative directly address these deeper needs?
Most of us will never understand the difficulties these children face daily, as we were lucky enough to grow up in a loving family environment, with a roof over our heads and never having to worry where the next meal is coming from. Can you imagine living with this fear from such a young age and having to cope with total uncertainty every day? Can you imagine the trauma these children are enduring from such a tender age?
This project will not resolve all the issues and problems, far from it. However, during their stay at the YMCA, these children will have a dedicated space where they feel safe, where they can be children, and where it might somewhat resemble what a home is like. This is the least that they deserve, so I implore everyone to be generous and continue helping us, so that we can make it better for these children.
Beyond the event itself, how do you hope Point 2 Point will strengthen awareness and long-term commitment to children's causes in Malta?
Point 2 Point is merely a vehicle which hopefully will grab people's imagination. We hope that this event will shed more light on these local realities, as sometimes we turn a blind eye and choose to ignore them. We hope that people will take a closer look at the reasons behind this initiative and contribute generously to these two causes. Hopefully, you will never need to use the services offered by either Hospice Malta or The Children in Need Foundation, but if you ever need, isn't it a comfort knowing that someone out there will reach out and extend their helping hand in what most probably might be one of your most challenging moments in life. Nobody is totally immune, and it is up to us collectively to help one another, especially in moments of need.
Douglas Barbaro-Sant
For Douglas, the drive to reach out and work with various NGO's is something that he has been lucky enough to have done throughout his adult life. Through Point 2 Point, he channels teamwork and resilience into a fundraising effort designed to sustain vital services provided by Hospice Malta and the Children in Need Foundation.
Hospice Malta provides holistic care to over 1,500 families every year. What does it mean to you to raise awareness for this organisation, and why should people rally behind it?
“Hospice Malta isn’t only there for the patient—they walk with the family every step of the way. That’s why this support is vital, and why we need everyone to join us.”
We want to highlight the essential and compassionate care they provide to families facing serious illnesses. People need to rally behind this organisation because it ensures families receive the support they need during challenging times, fostering a community that values compassion and dignity in end-of-life care. We often think that Hospice Malta assists patients, which they do; however, they also make a vital contribution to the family members. They are literally with you throughout the horrid journey that could lead to losing a loved one.
Corporate partners, such as GasanMamo, play a central role in addressing this challenge. How do you see businesses playing a stronger role in sustaining charities such as Hospice Malta and Children in Need?
Businesses like GasanMamo play a vital role in sustaining charities by providing financial support, resources, and volunteers. They provided us with a tremendous financial launchpad to support our efforts and drive our cause forward.
The challenge ends with a symbolic visit to Hospice Malta. Why was it essential for you and your friends to close the journey there, and what message do you hope that sends?
Closing the journey with a visit to Hospice Malta is significant to us as it brings us face-to-face with the real impact of our efforts. It serves as a poignant reminder of why we embarked on this journey and emphasises the importance of empathy and support for families in need.
Beyond the event itself, how do you hope Point 2 Point will strengthen awareness and long-term commitment to children's causes in Malta?
Beyond the event, I hope Point 2 Point will inspire ongoing dialogue and action around children's causes in Malta. Malta is far from the Utopian society that some people live in. Some children literally suffer poverty. By raising awareness and fostering community engagement, we can create a more substantial and sustained commitment to support vulnerable children, ensuring that their needs are consistently addressed.
Joseph Casha
For Joseph Casha, giving back is the Foundation of Point 2 Point. At the heart of this initiative lies the bigger goal: raising funds for two organisations that provide dignity, care, and opportunity for people at their most vulnerable.
Point 2 Point supports both Hospice Malta and the Children in Need Foundation. What does combining these two causes in one challenge mean for you personally?
First of all, it is heartening to see two charities, focusing on very different beneficiaries, collaborating to create awareness of their vital services. For me personally, my family and I have been beneficiaries of Hospice Malta on three occasions – the terminal illnesses of my mum, my sister and my mother-in-law. I have many reasons to give back a little of what I received.
This initiative is about more than endurance—it's about visibility for those who are often overlooked. How do you hope the challenge will bring Hospice patients and disadvantaged children into the national conversation?
Wow, thanks for asking. First of all, the state should realise that there are several gaps in Government funding and support. Specialised Cancer treatment and homelessness, now affecting whole families with children, are two of these areas where more Government support is needed.
“Families who turn to Hospice or Children in Need don’t have choices—we do. By donating, we can make their journey a little less difficult.”
We also want to take a moment to remind the general public that we have many choices every day – the option to wake up and go to work, as well as the opportunity to spend time with our family and friends. The families needing the services of CIN and Hospice have minimal choices, or no choices at all, except to face an arduous journey. With the donations we aim to collect, we want to make this arduous journey a bit easier.
Fundraising targets are ambitious. How confident are you that the Maltese community and businesses will respond—and what impact will hitting that goal have for the charities?
The impact on the charities is significant, even though our contribution is a small fraction compared to the funding they need. For CIN, supporting the YMCA Kids Haven project is essential because there is currently no dedicated space within YMCA facilities for homeless children. CIN will provide this space to the kids at the YMCA.
For Hospice, the in-patient services will provide 24-hour support to the patient and their family at the new premises of St Michael's Hospice in St Venera. It is clear that the space at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC) at Mater Dei is insufficient. Hospice Malta will provide the space and the services to emulate the home experience. It is clear that the number of terminal illnesses is on the increase – hence the increase needed in funding.
We are seeing a positive response from the Maltese community and businesses. As the need for funding is substantial, we aim not only to reach our target of €163K but also to exceed it.
Looking beyond September, how would you like to see this event evolve—could it become a lasting platform that continues to sustain these charities year after year?
We would like to pose this question to the Maltese Community and Businesses. If the Businesses and Maltese Community support the Hospice and CIN to exceed the €163,000 target, then this result will motivate us and the Point2Point team to consider a future event.
Donate now:
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Corporate donors may contact daniel@cin.mt for details.
