The adventurers who take part in the Pelayo Vida Challenge represent all those women who fight every day against the cancer they suffer from. The women who win a place in one of the Challenges have the great responsibility, for themselves and for all those patients, to show them that after cancer they can do thousands of things and that there is still a lot of life to be lived after the disease. Seeing these women climb the highest peak in Africa, cross the Atlantic, step into the cold Arctic or cycle in the Annapurna Valley proves that you can tear down any wall with a positive attitude.
This means that there is not much research, and therefore, there are not many treatments to combat it. This is very frightening, especially during the diagnostic phase. Additionally, because it is rare, general practitioners don't often encounter it, which leads to delays in diagnosis.
Born in Seville
Marketing
From the frustration and helplessness at the beginning, and the "why me" phase, I moved to understanding that the illness is part of life and a lesson in humility, and that the only thing in your control is the attitude with which you face it.
Born in Ávila
Pharmacist
There is a before and after my illness. Now I know what is important and what is secondary, what I should worry about and what I shouldn't spend even a minute on.
Born in Madrid
Technician at the Ombudsman's Office
You learn from cancer. It is a bad experience, but one that is transformative for the patient and for everyone around them.
Born in Zaragoza
Executive Assistant
The risk of relapse and metastasis that my type of tumor carries is always there, and it will accompany me for the rest of my life. But paradoxically, this makes me even more determined to live life to the fullest, and this challenge means exactly that: living life to the fullest and sending a message of hope and strength to other women.
Born in Madrid
Technical Architect
I realised I only had one life when cancer gave me this second chance. I learned to prioritise what is really important and to smile at every good moment.
Born in Valencia
Journalist
Cancer has made me highly aware of the finiteness of life, as well as of the infinite importance of living in the present moment, how crucial it is to spend time with those you love, your chosen family ... Accepting that sometimes you cannot do it alone and how lucky we are to have those wonderful people around us, who support us when we could not even support ourselves.
Born in Madrid
Nurse
Cancer came into my life sweeping everything away, like a tsunami, but I understood that life is about moments and that sometimes impossible things become possible. It asked me to slow down and made me appreciate the passing of time, to observe how the lines in the hands of those who held them out to me become longer and not to delay an apology. But, above all, it made me understand that you do not have to wait until you are well to be happy.
Born in Teruel
Special Education, Early Childhood, and Primary School Teacher
Cancer made me come to my senses, I learned to value time and the little things we find along the way. I never let fear bring me down and I now consider myself a true enjoyer of life. I am here to live and conquer the world.
Born in Reinosa
Nurse
Cancer has made me realise that we need to learn to enjoy life. Every single moment is a gift.
Born in Madrid
Architect
Fears and doubts arise with cancer. Your head is in a frenzy and you have no rest, but you insist that this is not going to stop you. You start saying: "Always one more step. Yes, you can do it." You see that there are thousands of precious lives to live.
Born in Lugo
Bidding and Public Procurement Technician
The diagnosis of cancer shattered my life project, but now, almost two years later, I have managed to fit all my pieces into a puzzle with a very special shine.
Born in Talavera de la Reina
Rehabilitation Technician
The tragedy the word cancer imbued me with at the beginning became an opportunity to value, love, appreciate, improve and move on.
Born in Barcelona
Firefighter at the City Hall
Cancer brings you to a halt, shatters all your projects and makes you vulnerable, but it is up to you how you want to deal with it. Your attitude makes a difference.
Born in Zaragoza
Head of the Analytical Accounting Unit
The word cancer is scary, but I embraced it, it transformed me and taught me to live right now and enjoy life as if each moment were my last.
Born in Madrid
Executive Secretary
Cancer is a huge life lesson that makes you stronger, calmer, more patient, wiser ..., apart from teaching you to value LIFE as the wonderful gift that it is.
Born in Madrid
Head of Financial Processes
The word cancer popped up in the middle of the pandemic. It paralysed me. I went back home, saw my daughters and said to myself: I'm going to get you and I'm going to do my best. A year later, I look at myself and feel that I am not the same. I see a woman with scars, but stronger, more determined and more eager to live every second than ever before. Ironically, cancer reconnects you to life.
Born in Valencia
Headhunter
When my body went "I can’t", my mind countered "yes, you can". I trusted that I could, and I did indeed. Cancer taught me not only to live, but to feel alive.
Born in Pamplona
Physical and Sports Trainer
Rather than an illness, this experience has been the perfect opportunity to turn my life into the one I always dreamed of.
Born in Madrid
Operating Room Nurse
Learning that life is fleeting made me learn to live the present moment, to minimise non-essential things, to be grateful every day for having the opportunity to live and to discover that life is so beautiful, that the will to fight and improve yourself comes by itself.
Born in Málaga
Civil Servant
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I said: "Ok, here we go. Let us go for my personal Ironwoman, the goal being to reach the finish line at each stage."
Born in Barakaldo, Vizcaya
Maître and trainer of waitstaff
The attitude with which you live your life is the only thing that is up to you. Smile, walk and do not stop.
Born in Teruel
Marine Scientist
Because life goes on, not for everyone, unfortunately, but for those of us who are lucky enough, we start a new, more intense, valuable and conscious life. Now, from a distance, I can see that I was afraid to tell about it.
Born in Elche
Architect
After cancer I learned to enjoy everything: the little things and the great, my loved ones, every single moment. Important stuff and ordinary things. The minutes and the weeks. Overcoming this taught me the meaning of LIVING.
Born in Cartagena
Environmental Scientist
Cancer came like a hurricane into my life and knocked me down, it trampled on me, it removed my hair, but I fought with the support of my family and friends. In fact, I beat it. Not just once, but twice. It left my body full of scars that help me remember every day that life has to be lived.
Born in Jerez de la Frontera
Art Restorer
Surviving is not enough. How many of us survive on a daily basis thinking that we have our life figured out, until something happens and everything changes in the blink of an eye.
Born in Mexico City.
You may feel tired from time to time, sometimes lonely, at times even almost crushed, but you can handle it, you have yourself, and it is time to fight for yourself.
Born in Madrid, she is an administrative officer by profession.
The greatest challenge is to defy yourself and go as far as your mind wants to take you, because suffering becomes effort and effort becomes victory.
Although born in Madrid, she feels Extremaduran through and through.
She is a National Police Officer and is stationed in Madrid.
One day you will realise that you are not just another survivor, but a warrior who never gave up.
This pharmacist was born in Madrid, where she lives with her family.
Accept what is happening to you. Cancer can give you a new perspective on your life, it provides you with opportunities and sets new goals. It teaches you to notice what is actually important.
This Madrid native is a media analyst at Kantar Media, where she works in the television department.
Overcoming challenges is the driving force that pushes me to get up, to improve day after day and to prove to myself that I set the limit to my dreams.
Born in Almería and a surveyor by profession, she is the first Andalusian to take part in the Pelayo Vida Challenge.
Rather than an illness, I call it my opportunity to change my life and turn it into the perfect place where I want to live.
Born in Madrid and residing in Las Rozas, Community of Madrid.
Responsible for a technological coaching service for seniors.
At first, it was hard for me to accept it, but then I saw that the path was full of life lessons.
Born in Zaragoza and currently residing in Utebo, Zaragoza province.
Administrative Assistant.
Falling down, getting up, shaking off the scratches, smiling and saying to life: here I go again!
Born in Madrid and residing in Valdemoro, Madrid.
Administrative Assistant.
I decided to face cancer head-on as a brave warrior, discovering the best version of myself. I have fallen many times, but I get up with a smile.
Born and residing in Cartagena, Region of Murcia.
Nurse.
You are not what you achieve, but what you overcome.
Born in Sabadell and residing in Les Fonts de Terrassa, Barcelona.
Insurance Agent.
I have always been very optimistic and have tried to look for the positive aspects of everything that happens to me, so travelling to the North Pole and having curly hair now are undoubtedly two rewards for having gone through cancer.
I have decided to set myself a challenge every year and what better challenge than to set foot in the inhospitable Arctic. I would like all those who are going through chemotherapy to think for a moment that they could be next.
I want to experience it all, gather experiences that make me a better person, widen my soul and my heart. I want to feel the adrenaline of setting foot in the Arctic. I want to live.
Life gives you opportunities, and mine came at the very moment when I started to fight cancer. You have to fight for life, because you only get the one you have.
I want to feel the cold on my face when walking on that steppe of snow and ice, with an effort that makes you feel your heart beating in your throat. I feel I can do it, even if I do not have superpowers, since cancer gave me a lesson.
This challenge is tantamount to life for me. Life to keep fighting for what you want, to be able to reach a goal by defying your own limits, even when it seems you cannot take it anymore.
Being able to do my bit for women like me who have had breast cancer, giving them a glimmer of hope, a simple thought that after cancer there is more life.
There is something to celebrate every day, as every day is unique. I have a huge desire to live.
Some opportunities are worth taking, and I refuse to feel sorry for myself. I want with all my might to live again an intense experience with great travel mates. If you manage to overcome it, you will come out stronger.
I saw a group of women with cancer climbing Kilimanjaro. At that moment, I was overcome by a feeling that told me that I could also do one of these adventures and show the world that it is possible.
Sport also played an essential role in my daily journey. My sporting experience has helped me a lot in my treatment.
The preparation and psychological experience of climbing the great mountains of the Himalayas is quite similar to a long and complex illness.
Medicines can heal our body, but what about the wounds of the soul.
The weekend before surgery I was up in the mountains and I promised myself that I would come back there.
Every day from the time of the surgery was for me one day less to go towards my recovery, and I clung to this positive thought.
