Madrid, Aug 22 (EFE).- Some thirty people, including cancer patients and others who have overcome the disease, researchers and family members, will plant the flag of the CRIS Foundation against cancer high on the summit of Aneto peak, the highest in the Pyrenees, on August 31 to raise awareness of the importance of research.
The #RetoPirineosCRIS launched by this Foundation to reach the second highest peak in the Iberian Peninsula (3,404 metres) will begin on 26 August. From that day until 31 August, the group will walk 111 kilometres until reaching the top of Aneto, from where they will ask for greater commitment to research: “the person who is cured today is because someone investigated before.”
According to the Foundation, on Monday 26th, a first team will leave from the town of Bielsa (Huesca) and a second from Vielha (Lleida) to meet on August 29th at the Renclusa refuge, in Benasque, in the Ribargoza region of Huesca, and from there begin the climb to the summit of Aneto.
The secretary of the international scientific committee of CRIS, Antonio López, explained that this challenge aims to unite the wills of patients, doctors and researchers with the commitment of civil society and institutions so that there is more public and private investment in cancer research, which is the key to finding cures.
He recalled that, according to INE data from June 26, tumors were, for the first time, the leading cause of death in 2023, with 26.6% of deaths, ahead of deaths from circulatory system diseases, which decreased by 5.5% compared to 2022.
Yolanda Cerezo, a breast cancer patient and mountain lover, has stated that thanks to research into immunotherapy, which has turned her type of cancer around, she can now consider participating in an expedition of this magnitude.
José Ramón Freire, a colon cancer patient in recovery, has also joined this challenge, after climbing Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) last year, which was the first challenge of the CRIS Foundation.
“When you are a patient, you realise that many more resources are needed for research. Chemotherapy has devastating side effects, which is why it is important to find other ways to cure it,” he stressed.
Another participant in this charity adventure is Juan José López, son of a cancer patient. López explained that his motivation is to support research into a highly prevalent disease: “We all know or will know someone who suffers or has suffered from cancer. We urgently need to raise more funds for research.”EFE
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