Monday 4, December 2023
This year’s solidarity tide for people with breast cancer was pink, white, and blue
The announcement of funds raised as a result of this year’s Walk for Life 2023, over €61,000, was welcomed with applause and tears by the thousands of people who once again turned out to show their support for people who are suffering or have suffered from breast cancer.
From early morning on December 3rd, CC Siam Mall in Adeje welcomed those preparing to walk as part of this annual event. People came from towns all over the island (and from mainland Spain, England, Ireland, Australia, Scotland, Wales, the USA, Colombia, Puerto Rico and a big etc), in small groups or in organised teams.
For the first time, this year, participants in the walk were distinguished by the colours of their T-shirts. People with breast cancer wore pink t-shirts, while the allies, family and friends wore white, and as a symbol and show of support for the existence and visibility of male breast cancer, the Foundation’s volunteers wore blue. Wings and pink wigs, or big fabulous hats, face-painted walkers and well dressed dogs, all added colour to a cloudy morning.
Before the start, the president of the Foundation, Brigitte Gypen, accompanied by local island and regional authorities, called for the need to “bring together the joint efforts of all institutions to improve the lives of those affected, and to raise awareness about the importance of early detection”. Adeje mayor José Miguel Rodríguez , added “that early detection is only possible if we have the necessary health and technical resources necessary”. For her part, the mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, highlighted “the courage of the personal stories behind the figures and statistics on breast cancer”. The Tenerife Cabildo was represented by Águeda Fumero, who praised “the work of the Walk for Life Foundation for the past 18 years and the commitment of its volunteers”.
From Siam Mall in Adeje the thousands walked to Arona, where there was more music and dancing, a raffle, and the announcement of the monies raised, more than €61,000 euros, a record-breaking amount, monies that will go entirely to the Foundation’s projects and to and to the financing of research studies on breast cancer.