Walk for Life 2014

[Janet]

[attachimg=1]

Walk for Life/Carrera por la Vida founder Brigitte Gypen, Adeje mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga and deputy Arona mayor Antonio Sosa have hosted a press conference in the Adeje CDTCA to announce details of this year's series of events celebrating 10 years of the Walk for Life. The annual walk, which takes place this year on 14 December  is a rallying call for cancer sufferers and survivors, and is a unifying event in many ways.

It brings together Spanish cancer charities and support organisations, people living with cancer, their friends and families, those who have sadly lost someone to cancer, and on a wider scale the general public of Adeje and Arona, a multi-cultural mix in itself, as the walk always crosses from one borough to another, alternatively starting in Adeje and ending in Arona, or vice-versa. This year the walk will start in the CC City Centre and finish at Fañabe beach.

Adeje's mayor congratulated Brigitte and the organisers on the multi-cultural nature of the event, as well as all the good work achieved in early detection and help for those families who are suffering as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis. "This is about overcoming obstacles, about making the invisible visible, about creating awareness among friends, family and society in general", he said as well as praising the solidarity network among those who have suffered cancer which helped improve the quality of life of those still struggling. "It is also about reducing fear, about helping people live with cancer". He added that the funds raised during the annual event were also very important for the cancer associations. The mayor alluded to austerity measures by the national government in many areas, including health, which, he underlined, "could put lives in danger".

To celebrate the 10th celebration of life and a reminder of the life-saving possibilities of early detection in breast cancer, the organisers with the support of the councils and businesses have organised 10 events, starting in October, which will also raise awareness, funds and support for breast cancer. "We have played a little with the Walk for Life title", Brigitte Gypen said, announcing the events (listed below), which will bring together a whole host of people in the world of dance, sport, music, the media, gastronomy, and much more. Most of the events will take place in either Adeje or Arona, and Brigitte added "we hope to exceed the €18,000 raised last year", adding that one of the group's aspirations is to be able to create "a zone, a space a permanent home for people who want to talk about cancer, maybe to watch a film, listen to music...a 'feel good' room perhaps, a space where people can look forward to their tomorrows".

Included among the events planned is a conference for life, with the participation of Dr Isabel Rubio Rodríguez, who will fly in from Barcelona for the event. She is a leading practitioner in breast cancer care and treatment, and will host two conferences, one in English and one in Spanish, to reach the widest audience possible, and answer questions from the floor. In parallel there will be medical experts on hand in screened areas to advise and demonstrate self-examination for women. Brigitte herself told the conference that it was very important that women of all ages be aware of the need for body awareness and examination, as in recent years more and more younger women were presenting, and early detection was and is vital. .

The events are:

20 September: Swim for life, Tenerife Top Training, Adeje

26 September: Conference for life, CDTCA, Adeje

4 October: Conference for life, CDTCA, Adeje

12 October: Golf for life, Los Palos Golf, Arona

16 October: Dance for life, Plaza Pescador, Los Cristianos, Arona

14 November: Soul for life, El Médano, Granadilla

21 November: Radiomarathon for life, Adeje

28 November: Chestnuts and wine for life, Valle San Lorenzo, Arona

7 December: Cycling for life, La Caleta, Adeje

14 December: Walk for life

A new webpage has also been designed by the Karonte company which is HERE: it has information on the association, galleries from past years and importantly registration forms for all of this year's events. Early registration is important for the organisers, so if you are planning to take part in one or some of the events do register in advance where possible. JA

[Janet]

Just a reminder that the Walk for Life takes place a week on Sunday, 14 December. The walk leaves the C.C. City Centre in Playa de las Américas at 10.30. Apart from the walk itself, there will be places for donations to be made at the start and finish. JA