PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY FOUNDATION CARRERA POR LA VIDA – WALK FOR LIFE

Friday 3, July 2020

The Board of the Walk for Life Foundation decided on its board meeting held on January 14th that the following projects will be awarded the funds collected during the Walk for Life, held on December 15th, 2019, for a total amount of 35,000 Euros.

Last Sunday, December 15, 2019, our biggest event in support of the fight against breast cancer took place, the 15th edition of the RACE FOR LIFE. The solidarity walk covered with a great pink tide the streets of the Adeje town, managing to congregate more than 4.000 people and to count on the collaboration of numerous public and private organisations, supporters of our cause. An unprecedented success, which can be attributed to the extraordinary solidarity of men and women committed to one of the most devastating diseases which affects millions of women all around the world.

Thus, on January the 14th, 2020, the election of the projects and organisations that will receive the funds gathered was carried out, on the annual board of the Carrera por la Vida – Walk for Life Foundation. A total of 35,000 Euros which will be designated to the following causes:

• – Research FERO Hospital CLINIC Barcelona, will receive a total of 5,000 € for the TILS Research Project.  TILS Project: So far, immunotherapy has been shown to be effective in some types of cancer such as melanoma, bladder, kidney or lung cancer, but in other tumour types, it has shown to be ineffective. This project, which is coordinated from the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, with the participation of other hospitals from Madrid, Pamplona and Barcelona, is exploring the application of immunotherapy in breast cancer patients. In particular, it is studying the effectiveness of treating advanced breast cancer by adoptive transfer of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS).  Also the Liquid biopsy Project: Tumours with a mutation in these genes do not adequately repair certain DNA errors, and are therefore extremely sensitive to a type of targeted therapy with poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). However, as the tumour progresses, it can lose its susceptibility. The present project should allow the follow-up of treatment responses in a longitudinal and less invasive way than tumour biopsies. This will allow the prescription of the most beneficial treatments for each patient and will reduce the prescription of those that would be ineffective.  

The project is directed by Dr. Violeta Serra and Judith Balmaña at Vall d’Hebron (VHIO)

• – Research at the Clínica Universitaria de Navarra in Madrid will receive a total of 5,000 € for the Research Project on Sentinel Node Biopsy & Lymphedema Risk. Avoidance of sentinel node biopsy in patients with triple-negative and Her2 positive tumours, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and who have a complete radiological and pathological response. In patients with triple-negative and Her2 positive tumours who initially show no positive nodes, once chemotherapy treatment is received, breast surgery and sentinel node biopsy are performed.

Once the sentinel node surgery is done in this group of patients, if there is no tumour left in the breast, the sentinel node is negative. Therefore, the aim of the study, which is multi-centric, is to avoid sentinel node biopsy in patients with triple-negative and Her2 positive tumours, who develop a complete response in the breast after QT and biological therapies. Sentinel node biopsy can produce up to 5% lymphedema and armpit discomfort, which can be avoided in patients who show an excellent response to QT and biological therapies.

Dr. Isabel T. Rubio, Director, Area of Breast Pathology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Madrid.

• – AECC Association: KM solidary project for the transport of oncology patients from the south of Tenerife to the hospitals in the north – 3000 €

• – AMATE Association: Solidary areolas by means of micro-pigmentation – 1500 €

• – FABISO (Canarian designer and breast cancer patient) customised “modern” swimwear with a prosthesis – 2000 €

• – Sunrise Brain:  project to study the effect of the memory after chemotherapy treatment – 1000 €

• – BRA Project: Delivery of new customised post-mastectomy bras to women. Having delivered in 2019 more than 155 bras on Tenerife and La Palma, we will expand this project and deliver bras to other islands such as La Gomera, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura – 5000 €

• – LINFA Project: Helping people with lymphedema problems after cancer surgery, in need of lymphatic sleeves in order to improve their daily quality of life – 5000 €

• – Pequeño Valiente Association: Support to this association for children suffering from cancer, more specific support to its “day hospital” project at Hospital de La Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife – 3000 €.

Sala Rosa/Pink Room: Cycle of physical activities for people after their oncology   treatment:

• • o Prevention as a lifestyle
  • o Free healthy-eating, yoga, and meditation workshops
  • o Occasional help of equipment for patients such as girdles, wigs, etc.
  • o Pink Traveling Room: we will take prevention information to different towns  all over the islands via our pink van.

CARRERA POR LA VIDA 2020 WALK FOR LIFE will be different because of the Covid 19, but it will be, bigger than ever!   We will walk “with our hearts this year”…

Let nothing stop us!