World Cancer Day 2021
FEBRUARY 4 was internationally recognised as World Cancer Day and many towns up and down the coast marked the occasion, including Alfaz del Pi and La Nucía. In Alfaz, the town hall commemorated the day alongside AACC (Alicante cancer association) with Alfaz recent branch president Pamela Dawson-Tasker (first left in photo below) invited to the town hall by mayor Vicente Arques where, together, they displayed a banner on the façade of the building. This symbolic gesture aimed to give visibility to the fight against cancer and the council's commitment to those affected by the disease.
In La Nucía, the town hall, church and sports complex were lit up in green, the colour of the fight against cancer, and continued to be so all week. A banner was also placed on the façade of the town hall to show La Nucía's solidarity. Mayor Bernabé Cano and Lina Cano, president of the local branch of the AECC (Spanish cancer association) were joined by other councillors for this act. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the annual solidarity march from the sports centre to the CEM Captivador could not take place – last year the parade attracted more than 4,000 people. It is hoped that next year the situation will have improved in order for it to take place once again.
FATHER Marcus Ronchetti, senior chaplain for the Costa Blanca Chaplaincy of the Anglican Church decided together with his wife Sandra to pay a tribute to those who have lost their lives to Covid by completing a 100km walk.
He felt that at this time, especially after recently losing a friend to the illness, that words seemed insufficient. He felt he needed to do something more, hence the decision to walk 100 kilometres.
During the week February 4-10, they walked, as many kilometres as possible locally each day, between appointments.
This week Fr Marcus sends a new message:
Good afternoon my friends,
I hope you are all feeling merry and bright!
Today Sandra and I completed our walk in memory of all those who have died with Covid, 100,000+ people, and we walked 100km.
It was a very moving experience, so let me just put it into context.
Sometimes when we hear about really big situations there is a feeling that we need to respond, but words can seem somehow inadequate. Whatever we say isn’t going to make it alright, and none of us know the extent to which some people are struggling with their loss and grief and anxiety.
I didn’t just want to say how grim it all is, but that all will be well. That would be insensitive.
So rather than words, Sandra and I wanted to show that we stood alongside folk whoever they were and whatever they were going through. Our walk wasn’t going to fix anything, or change the course of events, but at least for us it would give space in which to focus our emotions.
100kms is not really a big deal. Lots of people regularly walk much further than that. We didn’t even have to carry much. Just a packed lunch and some water and a map. But the distance was significant, as were the things we chose to do.
On each journey we had intentions in our mind. Every day we thought of those who had died, but we also had in our minds at least one of the following: Honour - of those who grieve Thanksgiving - for those brilliant folk who have cared for loved ones and strangers
Gratitude - for those who have recovered Admiration - for those key workers who have supported us all and kept as many things flowing as possible
Praise - of our NHS health service Love - for everyone who continues to work so hard to stop the spread of this virus
We had biodegradable ribbons with names and those intentions written on them. We tied them to suitable places throughout our walk. We built cairns on the beach and tucked them between the rocks. We picked flowers and tied them with the ribbon and left them at existing memorials. We added them to prayer flags, we hid them in trees and hung them by rivers. We left them on bridges, in old derelict buildings and attached them to bamboo growing by the river. Did it change anything? Probably not. Will it have helped people? Not specifically?
Will the virus still spread? Yes. So what was the point?
Well, I can only speak for myself, but it gave meaning and depth to those emotions that had filled so many of us. We were affected by the loss of so many people, and 100,000 metres of walking helped us realise what a big thing that was. But we were also able to spend time, walking in silence and thinking of all those other intentions. The honour we gave to those grieving souls was real. We really are full of thanks for those involved in caring, and inspired by those who have shown such devotion to strangers.
Many more people have recovered, and we need to put that into perspective. Most people get through it, and with the roll out of the vaccine, more and more people will thrive.
I lost count when I was trying to ‘admire the key workers’. There are so many, and so often unseen or unheard of. The internet doesn’t just work all on its own, and where would we have been without that?
And the NHS in the UK, and the
health service here, and everywhere – those people – we can’t praise them enough, and we will never take them for granted again.
Finally the journey gave us the opportunity to walk alongside (so to speak) all of our brothers and sisters who are missing out on doing the very things that they love in order not to spread the virus.
With every step we missed our loved ones and with every breath we wished them well and with every mile we longed for a better future and a brighter tomorrow.
We did our best. What else could we do?
Walking doesn’t fix everything, but it is what we do side by side.
With love,
Marcus and Sandra x