Mrs. Magaly Llaguno was born in Cuba and arrived in the United States with refugee status in 1959. She was educated in a Methodist School in Havanna, and attended the Villanueva Catholic University where she first started to take an interest in the Catholic Church. She converted to Catholicism through a Cursillo experience in 1970. Then two years later she founded the "Comite Provida Internacional", (the International Prolife Comittee), which she headed for twelve years. She was also a founding member of the Board for the National Right to Life Committee. and of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights.

In 1984 Father Paul Marx asked her to found a Hispanic division of Human Life International and he later awarded her the "Human Life International Award" in 1992, which is given each year by HLI to the person who has done the most in defense of unborn babies.

The First Global Prolife Caucas In 1991 gave Magaly the opportunity to present an album to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, containing pictures of the work being carried out by Vida Humana Internacional in Latinamerica, and she also thanked him for His courageous defense of human life.

On the Day of the Immaculate Conception in 1992, Magaly was honored by the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida with the "Primum Regnum Dei" Award for her dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. She has organized and spoken at more than 25 international conferences and on numerous radio and television programs, including a TV series about abortion titled: "For love of life" which continues to be televised on EWTN Global Catholic television.

Human Life International annually presents an award entitled the “Cardinal von Galen Award” for courage in the defense of human life. Normally this award is presented to a prelate or a priest for his outstanding defense of the Church’s position on the life issues, but July 7th, 2007 is the first time that this award was given to a laywoman for a lifetime of untiring defense of innocent life around the world. HLI and VHI are proud to present this special award to the Executive Director of HLI’s Hispanic Affiliate in Miami, Mrs Magaly Llaguno. If anyone deserves such an award it certainly is Magaly, who continues to work hard saving babies while battling cancer. May God grant us the opportunity to continue to have her zealous and courageous leadership in the Hispanic prolife world for many years to come.

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