This Friday, World Cancer Day, the Association of Families with Oncohematological Diseases of Lanzarote (AFOL), announced the awards of the "V Short Story and Micro-story Contest - Living with Cancer". An event that was held at the Agustín de la Hoz House of Culture. In this edition, 11 stories were received in the adult category and 25 micro-stories in the youth category.
The winners in the adult category were Roberto Tejera de León with the title "Dear Cancer", who took the first prize valued at 400 euros and a diploma, the second prize with 200 euros and diploma for Alcira Nieves Saavedra González with "The Silent Guest", and the runner-up with a diploma for María Regina Gargallo Medina with her story "After you, now me".
The prizes in the Youth category were awarded as follows; the first prize valued at 200 euros and a diploma for Adama Alberto Santana Hernández for his story "My Rose", second prize of 100 euros and a diploma for Dashira Nazaret de la Cruz Figueroa for "Through Death" and a runner-up with a diploma for Isabel Mª Padierne Calado for her story "We Believe in You".,
The jury was made up of Francisco Hernández Delgado, Official Chronicler of Teguise, Jesús Toledano Sánchez, writer and teacher at CEIP Los Geranios and Zebensuí Rodríguez Álvarez, teacher at the Lanzarote CEP Teachers' Center.
Each of the winners, after having collected their prize, read their works, receiving a great applause from the public that filled the space allowed by Public Health.
Carmen Arrocha addressed all those present, thanking Echedey Eugenio as representative of the Arrecife City Council, the members of the jury, the participants and the public. Arrocha stated that "all the people who have participated have given everything, and more." Therefore, "we continue to propose, as an objective, to offer this writing space, where narration, expression, strength, faith, tears, laughter, impotence... have a place to tell the essence of the deepest feelings that inhabit our being and that sometimes words prevent us from expressing without further ado." The president added that "that makes us reflect and look for the reality of this disease to continue fighting and supporting it."
In addition, Arrocha considered that it helps to raise awareness among young people that in the teaching of culture, there is also the writing of a story about any disease, such as cancer. "As difficult as the subject may seem, it makes us strong not to discriminate against any area of life, because we have to be prepared for everything that may come," he explained.
Finally, Carmen Arrocha said that for AFOL, "your participation will always be a success, because everyone exposes their way of seeing life and it reaches the heart."