On Sunday 20th May, CUDECA Cancer Care Hospice, together with 1,600 participants, celebrated its annual Walkathon along Benalmádena’s seafront.   CUDECA’s charity walk aims to raise awareness about the Foundation’s work as well as raising funds which go towards covering the costs of the free assistance programmes provided by teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, physiotherapists and qualified volunteers.   Every year CUDECA Hospice assists more than 1,400 people with cancer or other advanced incurable illnesses, giving support to their families.  Since the charity was formed in 1992, CUDECA has cared for more than 14,000 patients, completely free of charge.   Thanks to the generosity of participants, friends, collaborators, sponsors and the effort of more than 100 fantastic volunteers, more than 29,000€ has been raised at this event.   This family-fun sports day was attended by members of several local institutions including  Víctor Navas, Mayor of Benalmádena, Alicia Laddaga, Councillor for Health as well as Paloma García, Vice President and Institutional Relations Delegate at  Acosol; Antonio Velligre, Director of the CaixaBank office in Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa, and on behalf of the Cudeca Foundation, Dr. Marisa Martín, Chief Executive and Medical Director and Rafael Olalla, Deputy Chief Executive and Financial Director.   At the Walkathon base on the Paseo Maritimo participants could enjoy a host of activities for all the family courtesy of Exploramás; as well as a bouncy castle courtesy of Castillos Zimmerman, four huge charity paellas cooked by a team of volunteers and chefs together with the Los Mellizos restaurant, a raffle with great prizes, and a large stand courtesy of Coca Cola, and much, much more. There were also live performances by Mel Williams, the “Naima” belly dance group, Banana Studio and Cath John’s Motown show. And before the walkers set off, CUDECA’s physiotherapist Carolina Martín led a warm up session so that everyone was prepared and full of energy for walk.   The winners of the Largest Amount Collected category went to Peluquería Gottlieb, who received the first prize of six nights’ accommodation in Portugal, courtesy of Diamond Resorts International;  the second prize went to Chris Knapp, who received a medical check-up valued at  1,000€ courtesy of Vithas Xanit Hospital Internacional; and in third place was Hazell Bradshaw, who together with her dog Oscar, took part in the Walkathon, sponsored by family and friends, and who were both the lucky winners of a two-night stay at a Sunset Beach Club hotel in Ireland.   And for the second consecutive year, nine-year-old Jago Bux took the prize in the children’s largest amount collected category, thanks to his godparents, friends and sponsors who all helped him raise funds for CUDECA.   In the category for the Largest Group of Participants, Bailando por la Vida took first prize which was a huge pack of free entrance tickets to the main leisure centres on the coast, Micolchón pillows and several Mijas Aquapark packs. The Walkathon has been possible thanks to our principal sponsor, the La Caixa Foundation together with the invaluable support of: Benalmadena Town Hall, the Benalmadena Municipal Sports Board, the Provincial Council of Málaga, Acosol, Hotel Sunset Beach Club, Exploramás, Global Radio, Helicópteros Sanitarios, Coca Cola, Carrefour Torremolinos, Grupo GMG, Restaurante Los Mellizos, Dumher, Grupo EJ Eventos, Talk Radio Europe, Quirón Salud, Vithas Xanit Hospital Internacional, Cadena Ser Málaga, Mijas Comunicación,  Diario Sur and Sur in English.     CUDECA would also like to thank the companies who have supported the Walkathon 2018 by donating products for the charity paella and prizes for the grand raffle: Bioparc, Club de Hielo Benalmádena, La Cala Golf Hotel & Spa, Museo del Automóvil, Reservatauro, Hotel Las Palmeras, Hotel Doña Lola, The Beefeater Restaurante, La Calma Centro, Sunset Beach Club Hotel, Baboo Restaurante, Famadesa, El Corte inglés, Reserva del Higuerón, Kémepongo Moda Benalmádena, Selwo Marina, Exploramás, Selwo Aventura, Teleférico Cablecar Benalmádena, Diamond Resorts, Vithas Hospital Internacional, Farmacia Santos de Málaga y Laboratorios Santos-Giménez S.L., Lorena Café, Carrefour, Panadería Santa Gema y La Tahona de Mijas, Picking Málaga, Museo Ruso, Museo Pompidou, Casa Picasso, Cruzcampo, Vicente y su equipo de paelleros, Nice Things, Bliss Beauty, Peluquería Salas, Boyd´s Fitness Centre, Mariposario de Benalmádena, Quirón Salud, Helicópteros Sanitarios.   We’d also like to give a special mention to the Asociación Lucky Quilters International de Benalmádena who not only donated a beautiful handmade patchwork quilt, worth 3,000€, but who also sold tickets all morning for the quilt raffle.  The winning ticket, coloured green, was number 253. The winner should contact the Cudeca Foundation to receive their quilt. CUDECA Hospice is extremely grateful to Lucky Quilters for all their hard work and support. If you’d like to contribute to the Cudeca Walkathon it is still possible for you to make a donation either online at www.cudeca.org/iniciativas-solidarias or by making a bank transfer to La Caixa ES48 2100 7681 3523 00060031.   We give our wholehearted thanks for the support of all institutions, companies, people and the incredible volunteers who help us achieve our goal: to help many people at the end of life with our special way of caring.