On the morning of this Sunday, the Association of Families Oncohematológicas of Lanzarote (AFOL) organized the 'VIII Walk against Cancer' in commemoration of the 'World Breast Cancer Day'. At 09:30 hours, 560 registered, along with many more who joined during the tour, gathered on the avenue of Playa Honda to participate in a 5-kilometer route under the slogan 'Weaving Hearts of Colors'.
The event began with the lively batucada Guaichara of San Bartolomé, which set the pace of the first steps of the participants. Among the walkers was the Minister of Social Welfare of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Marciano Acuña, who showed his support for the cause.
The shirts designed and illustrated by Nela Hernández filled the journey with color, creating a vibrant tide of solidarity. The collection of this edition reached 5,600 euros, destined to support families affected by cancer.
"The beginning of the walk was enlivened by the batucada Guaichara of San Bartolomé marking the first steps of the walkers among whom was the Minister of Social Welfare of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Marciano Acuña. In this edition the collection was a total of 5,600 Euros. At the starting point the president of AFOL, Carmen Arrocha read the following manifesto:
Today we commemorate the "World Breast Cancer Day", and entities, institutions and patient organizations join us to demand a greater effort in research, treatment and comprehensive care of people with breast cancer, but also to give visibility to the rest of cancers that we find in our lives.
Therefore, from AFOL, we insist on the decisive importance of practices and programs for early detection of Breast Cancer, colon, prostate, lung ... because an early diagnosis is today, the best way to achieve a significant reduction of the worst consequences of such an aggressive disease.
Claiming and fighting for Cancer is one of the great challenges that the world has. Although, there are many achievements in the diagnosis, treatment and knowledge of the disease, there is still a long way to go. And our Government has to further strengthen research, "Waiting Lists", and add more drugs to the list of our Social Security is paramount.
Right now, the drug for triple negative metastatic breast cancer that was not on the list because it was very expensive, they have added it, But life is priceless, or is it that only those who have the ability to buy it can be saved?. In Spain there are more than 80 drugs that other countries have.
Gentlemen/a, manage Health for and to improve the lives of people. It is a duty and a right that we have as citizens.
We continue working to ensure that any woman and man, without any discrimination, has quality care in cancer, including in that care the rights to access to screening, a reliable diagnosis, a correct treatment, without unnecessary waiting, truthful and complete information, satisfactory control and postoperative care, if any, demanding and careful. In addition to a multidisciplinary team in oncology.
But, that does not end at 69 years, we are people from birth to death and for having that age, are we no longer the same? Do not we have the same rights? Or is it that, for Health, we are only numbers?.
Let us go when they call us to perform breast screening (mammography) or colon, prostate. Let's not leave it for tomorrow, it may be too late.
It is also important to improve the impact on the quality of life, on emotions, in the workplace and social, and that enable comprehensive care of patients; but, there are other needs that need to be addressed: saturation of outpatient clinics, waiting lists, a continuous service of Lymphedema, Comprehensive Care with nutritionists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, a good diagnostic care in the service to the characteristics of each patient and achieve an earlier diagnosis of recurrences (relapses); facilitate universal access to a second opinion and establish referral criteria and appropriate support measures.
On the other hand, we must pay particular attention to the growth in the number of women diagnosed with breast and uterine cancer before the age of 40. In these cases, the woman wants to know the consequences of the treatments received and more frequently appears the relationship between fertility and breast cancer and how to preserve fertility to people at risk before the natural end of their reproductive life.
The people who participate in the associative movement linked to health, have lived the experience that, to the uncertainty, anxiety and questions for which there is no immediate answer, shared feelings are joined when deficiencies, lack of support or need for help are detected.
Therefore, we insist that all public institutions, from the city hall, outpatient clinic, hospital, Cabildo, Province, Community, join in Training, Prevention, Research and give priority to Health.
Today we are here, to communicate that they can not continue to deny and ignore the needs of the Health of Lanzarote and La Graciosa. AFOL, tirelessly, requests the resources and services that are missing in our hospitals and society.
We need politicians who get involved and fight for a Universal, quality, equitable and democratic Health System at the service of the population and that promote equity, social justice and are worthy of their rank, but remember, that looking the other way is not the solution.
Together we build and improve our Health and Island. Find the will, effort, work and the future of this society of Lanzarote".