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Today we celebrate the fifth edition of the Vallformosa charity dinner supporting the fight against
cancer in memory of my husband, but also to pay homage and give support to everyone
suffering from cancer and their families for the struggle, the effort and the bravery they show
in pursuing their everyday lives with energy, courage and a thirst for life.
Today, exactly two years and 11 days ago, because it was the 1 July 2011 that my sister
Margarida called me from the Comarcal de l'Alt Penedès Hospital: "Hi Jordi," she said
in a voice that was frankly subdued, but was still not marked by emotion. "I've just
come out of the hospital, I've got cancer. The doctor has just told me, but stay
calm. I've got cancer," said my sister, who along with my two children is the person I
most love in my family, and by extension in this world. That 1 July 2011, together with
31 March 1996 and 28 August 1997 now constitutes the most emotional day
of my life. But the other two filled me with a delightful emotion because they were
the two days on which my children were born.
To fight this illness one can proceed in a number of ways. One is research
and development and we know that there are labs and hospitals that are working extremely hard to
find a solution. The other way to fight against cancer is with prevention and it is in the
latter approach that the funds raised from this year's charity dinner will be invested.
80% of the proceeds of the dinner will go towards the Catalan Oncology Institute project.
This year's project is cancer prevention and supporting life. And what are we going to do?
We are going to bolster yet further the information supplied to the public. This year there have been another 36,000
cases of cancer in our country, and this has a highly significant impact that has
a lot to do with lifestyle habits.
We'll invest the other 20% in the Ampert Association project, which aims to
make life easier by transporting patients from their homes to
the Duran y Reinalts Centre where they're treated.
Allow me to say that Martí will always be present, if what happened to Martí had not
happened in your life, we wouldn't be here, there wouldn't be this movement. We all
have to be grateful for the memory of Martí, that thanks to all this, we can
benefit from your solidarity, of this capability you have to overcome. The finest legacy of
of Martí's memory is this contribution, and I'm sure that although cancer and its treatment
will improve, we'll improve survival, the great challenge is a cure and primary prevention. But this
continues to be the great struggle.
And to end, just to say that thanks to the proceeds from the third charity dinner, it has been possible
to issue a short book with one clear aim: to help people who are suffering from cancer,
their families and friends. It is written by people with all the feeling that accompanies
suffering from this illness; and just one more thing, before leaving tonight, look up at the
sky: I'm sure there'll be a star that shines more brightly. It's my star.