On 31 May, Sant Quirze del Vallès hosted the first edition of the “Caminem per la Vida” charity walk, an initiative that brought together 700 participants with a shared goal: to support cancer research at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) and improve the lives of people affected by cancer.
The event, organised thanks to the dedication of the “Caminem per la Vida” volunteers, Sant Quirze del Vallès Town Council and local organisations, transformed the town’s streets into a space of solidarity, awareness and hope.
This first edition of the charity walk raised 9.100€, which will be dedicated to cancer research at VHIO. This will help to advance projects aimed at developing new treatments, improving early diagnosis and moving towards increasingly personalised medicine.
Sergi Millas, organiser of “Caminem per la Vida”, said: “It’s incredible to see so many people come together for this charity walk—volunteers, families and the whole community. In such a short time, we brought 700 people together to walk in support of cancer research. Thank you to everyone who took part!”
The initiative was created by families who had experienced cancer first-hand and wanted to transform that experience into a meaningful act of solidarity. Beyond raising funds for research, its aim is to raise public awareness, engage younger generations and normalise conversations about cancer.
As part of this initiative, collaboration with Sant Quirze del Vallès Town Council led to a particularly meaningful activity: inviting local schoolchildren to design race bibs featuring the number 1, symbolising that everyone matters and everyone is a “number one”.
To support this activity, Carmen Escudero, from the VHIO Communications Department, delivered awareness sessions in the participating schools. She helped children understand the importance of cancer research and solidarity.
Following these sessions, the pupils created the race bibs that the participants proudly wore during the walk. This made them one of the event’s most memorable and moving features.
To formally present the funds raised, representatives of the organising committee visited the VHIO research laboratories on 18 June. They learned first-hand about the Institute’s work.
Carles Constante, the Managing Director of VHIO, welcomed the group and thanked them for their commitment to cancer research. He also thanked them for the initiative’s success.
“On behalf of everyone at VHIO, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in this initiative, as well as to the organising team and all the volunteers who made it possible. Thank you for your dedication and dedication to work,” said Carles Constante.
Initiatives such as this demonstrate that public involvement is essential to cancer research progress. Planning is already underway for next year’s edition, with the aim of increasing participation and further expanding the charity walk’s impact.
