LThe five women selected from the more than 300 candidates for the Pelayo Vida Challenge already have a name and surname: Ana lvaro and Natalia Cano from Madrid, Lourdes Arana from Navarra, Ana Fresno from Valencia and Susana Ruiz from Malaga are chosen to face the challenge of crossing the Arctic Circle by boat from Vigo, from where they will leave on September 8.
With the aim of sensitizing civil society and institutions of the importance of cancer prevention through screening, nutrition and sports, the expedition ’66 North ‘faces this challenge in which these five chosen ones put a face to the millions of women who have suffered from breast cancer.
Ana lvaro (Madrid), financial manager, 49 years old; Lourdes Arana (Pamplona), sports coach, 55 years old; Ana Fresno (Valencia), headhunter, 38 years old; Susana Ruiz (Malaga), management technician of the General State Administration, 46 years old; Natalia Cano (Madrid), nurse, 47 years old, will be part of a expedition that this year will celebrate the seventh adventure of the Pelayo Vida Challenge.
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Next September, these five women who have overcome breast cancer They will depart by boat from Vigo, with the aim of reaching the Arctic Circle as a test of personal improvement, psychological strength, courage and optimism towards life despite the fact that they have encountered a serious illness.
2,500 nautical miles in sub-zero temperatures
The expedition, which this year opens under the name Reto Pelayo Vida 2021 ’66 North ‘, aims to travel 2,500 nautical miles at approximately 20 degrees below zero.
These are women who give visibility to cancer in women and transmit the message that they can be happy after beating it. They become spokesmen for hope for other women who have suffered or are currently suffering and encourage to overcome the disease through sports and food. In addition, they call for the early detection of cancer in women not to take a step back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
History of the Pelayo Vida Challenge
In March 2015 and after the death of one of his best friends, a cancer victim at the age of 39, journalist and writer Eric Frattini, founder of TREX EXPLORING, devises an ascent of five cancer survivors to Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa.
On September 29, 2015, at 06:15 Tanzania time, Carmen, Araceli, Rosa, Eva and Mara They reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. That first adventure was the beginning of the Pelayo Vida Challenge. Once a winter night’s dream, it became a reality followed by 44 million people in this first edition.
Since then, there have been five more expeditions against cancer in women: Trasatlntica 2016, Polar 2017, Annapurna Bike 2018, Andes 2019 and Vuelta a Espaa 2020.
The figures have been absolute: 75,880 kilometers traveled; 1,537 surviving women presented as candidates; 11 borders crossed; and 14 awards obtained, including a special mention from NASA, Actualidad Econmica Award for one of the ‘100 Best Business Ideas of the Year’, ‘Woman of the Year’ Award from the Madrid Press to the women participating in the Pelayo Vida Challenge, or the Juan Sebastin Award Elcano awarded by the Navy and the Cdiz Association for Elcano.
