Cancer charity for Alicante sets up in Alfaz
By Pamela
(PDT)
Marking World Cancer Day 2021
FOR the last 17 years I have been president of the Alfaz branch of the Spanish cancer charity AECC.
It has been a very interesting period in my life, from the written material published by AECC and from experience I have learned a lot. It has been a privilege and an honour to work with this important charity. The personal satisfaction for me has been to arrange ‘mammos’ for local ladies at the centre in Alicante, and a campaign through a local social club for prostate tests focused a lot of attention on this necessary check. I found out later that at least two lives may well have been saved within the 40 or so men who went for testing.
Taking part in local events like Alfaz international day, the Christmas Fair at Forum Mare Nostrum, La Nucía international day, and providing publicity in the local media as well as talks to social groups for many of the last years, brought in donations that went to the provincial treasurer and assisted with the cost of providing the various tests and for the very important research that AECC is engaged in. In recent times the AECC has moved more towards research and the scanner for mammograms that was based in Alicante was moved to another facility. That scanner some may remember, was bought with money raised by the Costa Blanca News through a Costa Blanca-wide campaign. The AECC do wonderful work and I have the utmost respect for the association.
However, time does not stand still, and we have to move with it. Due to some restructuring within the AECC, a decision was made to dissolve the Alfaz branch of the association.
Dr. Pablo Enríquez Valens who was provincial president of the AECC has moved on and is now president of the recently
formed Alicante cancer charity AACC (Alicante Asociación Contra Cáncer) and, in light of the closure of the Alfaz branch of AECC, a new branch of AACC has been formed in the municipality, of which I am now president and Maribel Torres, who was my vice-president for so many years at AECC
will continue in the same role at the new AACC in Alfaz.
My decision was based on a personal need to concentrate my activities – the usual infirmities of age having a lot to do with it - and a wish to work with a charity that would concentrate on the province of Alicante and my own area specifically. My personal aim is to encourage early detection testing through mammos and prostate tests, publicity and fundraising.
We have some very loyal volunteers and I have great hopes for the future.
The list of services provided by AACC is very comprehensive and to get the full picture please check the website www. alicanteparalaluchacontraelc ancer.es which also appears in English.
The AACC pledges to support cancer patients and their families and this support goes beyond medical services and aims to integrate the foreign population living in our region. It does not matter where you live in the province of Alicante, AACC teams will be ready to help you and, bearing in mind the difficult times we are living through at the moment, it is very important that the association reaffirms it 'will not permit deterioration of oncology attention'.
A major interest for me is the ‘early detection service’ treatment of a tumour in the early stages greatly increases the chances of achieving a cure. The AACC have an agreement with IMED hospitals offering early detection tests for all major cancers.
To learn more about this service please email info@ alicantecontraelcancer.es, 629 088 511 for information in English or contact me by email at pdawson802t@cv.gva.es
A useful service for recovering cancer patients is offered by the chemist Farmacia Central on Avenida Pais Valencia 38, Alfaz, where a large stock of items that may be needed are available.