1,100 participants at the Cudeca Walkathon 2019!

News 13 May 2019

This Sunday, May 12, the Cudeca Cancer Care Hospice held its famous Marcha por CUDECA - Walkathon together with 1,100 participants on the promenade of Benalmadena.

CUDECA's charity march aims to raise awareness of its welfare work, as well as to raise funds to be used to care for people with cancer and other advanced illnesses, as well as to offer support to their families. Each year, the CUDECA teams of doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and physiotherapists assist more than 1,400 people and offer support to more than 2,100 family members. Since 1992, they have cared for more than 15,000 people completely free of charge.

Thanks to the affection and solidarity of the participants, friends, collaborators, sponsors and the effort of more than 100 fantastic volunteers, a collection of more than €22,000 has been raised.

This family and sports day was attended by numerous personalities, highlighting the mayor of Benalmadena City Council, Victor Navas and on behalf of the Cudeca Hospice, Dr. Marisa Martín, Chief Executive and Medical Director besides Rafael Olalla, Deputy Chief Executive and Financial Director both from the hospice.

Participants could take part on the free activities by the promenade for the whole family courtesy of Exploramás, an inflatable castle courtesy of Castillos Zimmerman, 4 charity paellas cooked by our team of volunteers and paelleros together with restaurante Los Mellizos, homemade croquettes by the Peña Virgen de la Cruz, Choripan braised by Fran and his wife, volunteers from the charity shops, more volunteers at the candy and coffee table and the team of volunteers for the charity bar led by Rocio and Kelles, a raffle with great prizes, a great stand courtesy of Coca Cola, and other surprises.

The live entertainment area came hand in hand with the live voice of Mario Ross (friend of the recently deceased, Mel Williams, who used to sing You never walk alone as a supportive contribution to the march and for all walkers at the beginning of all routes), the belly dance group Naima, Banana Studios, Barbara Pereda, yoga with Sankalpa Torremolinos and Ritmo FM animated with their music. Likewise, Carolina Martín, physiotherapist of CUDECA, made the warm-up so that the assistants began the routes with a lot of energy.

Prizes for the largest fundraising were to the group Peluquería Gottlieb, with a collection of 2,356€ who received as first prize a 6-night accommodation in Portugal, courtesy of Diamond Resorts International; second, Soroptimist, with a collection of 1.051€, who received a facial rejuvenation courtesy of Vithas Xanit Hospital Internacional; and, in third place, Chris Knapp, with a collection of more than 577€, awarded with a stay of 2 nights in a hotel of the Sunset Beach Club en Irlanda.

The prize for the largest children fundraising went to Jago Bux, 10 years old, for the third consecutive year, thanks to his godparents, friends and acquaintances who helped him collect a donation of 185€ to CUDECA. This year he received 4 free tickets to Selwo Aventura and Teleférico Cablecar..

The winners of the largest group were the Jacaranda group, with 33 components, who received as a prize a large number of free tickets to major entertainment centers in Malaga.

The March for CUDECA - Walkathon was made possible thanks to the main collaboration of the Obra Social "La Caixa" and the invaluable collaboration of: Ayuntamiento de Benalmádena, Patronato Deportivo Municipal de Benalmádena, Diputación Provincial de Málaga, Fundación CLC World, Mancomunicad de Municipios Costa del Sol, Hotel Sunset Beach Club, Exploramás, Global Radio, Coca Cola, Carrefour Torremolinos, Grupo GMG, Restaurante Los Mellizos, Dumher, Talk Radio Europe, Quirón salud, Vithas Xanit Hospital Internacional, Sabor a Málaga, Cadena Ser Málaga, Mijas Comunicación, Visuales 2000, Diamond Resorts, Global Radio, Diario Sur y Sur in English.

We would also like to thank the companies that have helped with products for the charity paella and other gifts for the charity raffle: Bioparc, Benalmádena Ice Club, La Cala Golf Hotel & Spa, Hotel Las Palmeras, Hotel Doña Lola, The Beefeater Restaurant, Sunset Beach Club Hotel, Famadesa, El Corte Inglés, Reserva del Higuerón, Selwo Marina, Exploramás, Selwo Aventura, Teleférico Cablecar Benalmádena, Diamond Resorts, Vithas Hospital Internacional, Farmacia Cerrado de Calderón, Farmacia Estrella de Mar de Benalmádena, Lorena Café, Santa Gema Bakery and La Tahona de Mijas, Picking Málaga, Russian Museum, Pompidou Museum, Casa Picasso, Cruzcampo, Vicente and his team of paella makers, Nice Things, Bliss Beauty, Hairdresser Salas, Boyd´s Fitness Centre, Benalmádena Butterfly, Quirón Salud, Medical Service Care, Zerimar Airel, Miguel Ángel Jiménez Golf School, Restaurant.

Donations to the Marcha por CUDECA- Walkathon 2019 can still be made at www.cudeca.org/iniciativas-solidarias or in row 0 La Caixa ES48 2100 7681 3523 00060031.

A special mention goes to Luisa Machen who gave her time and professional work as host of the event and presented all artists and raffle with joy and commitment for our cause.

We sincerely appreciate the support of all the institutions, companies, people and, above all, the incredible volunteers who help us every day to achieve our goal: to help many people at the end of life with our special way of caring.

Marisa Martín, Chief Executive & Medical Director & Víctor Navas, Mayor of Benalmádena Town Hall