The most emotional moments of La Marató, which is approaching 10 million raised

BarcelonaUnfortunately, cancer is a disease that affects most of the population very closely, as it is a group of conditions with a high incidence. This year, La Marató, celebrating its 34th edition, wanted to give a new boost to cancer research and, for the sixth time, joined forces to raise funds to strengthen research that could ultimately be essential to saving patients and improving their quality of life. The final tally of the night was revealed after 2:00 a.m., at the end of the gala presented by Ramon Pellicer. The amount raised up to that point was €9,741,627.

As is often the case, marathons dedicated to cancer are among those that garner the most support. Last year, for example, the marathon dedicated to respiratory diseases only raised €6,434,613 by the end of the night. The increase is therefore considerable, and donations remain open until March 31, when the final figure will be announced. In any case, it falls significantly short of the 2018 figure—the last time this initiative focused on cancer—when €15,028,252 was raised, a record for the long-running event.

Andrea Fuentes and Josep Maria Mainat

When cancer affects those you love most

Two of the famous figures who have shared their experience with cancer are television producer Josep Maria Mainat and the Spanish synchronized swimming coach, Andrea Fuentes. Both have spoken about how the disease has been close to them through different family members and friends. "Cancer has always haunted me. It's not something that happens to other people. It's something that happens to all of us, and what's more, without warning and at the most inopportune moment," Mainat reflects. who this year lost his friend and partner Toni Cruz due to a brain tumor“I also have that feeling, it’s been haunting me, and it’s like, ‘Leave me alone!’” explains Fuentes, who details that both his father and sister suffered from cancer and died from the disease. The former athlete explains that, due to his family history, doctors recommended he have a colonoscopy every three years for early detection of possible cancer. Fuentes admits that fear has caused him to avoid getting the test. The video ends with the coach promising Mainat that she will get the test.

Meeting of cancer survivors

Fina Brunet, Núria Bacardit, Pep Anton Muñoz and Juan Avellaneda call for a focus on prevention

Another intense moment of The Marathon It was a meeting between four very popular figures who have overcome cancer. Journalists Fina Brunet and Núria Bacardit, actor Pep Antón Muñoz, and designer Juan Avellaneda shared their experiences and reached a common conclusion: prevention is key. Brunet explained the hard work of recovery she undertook after undergoing surgery for a brain tumor, a seven-hour operation. "When your brain is affected, getting it working again isn't so easy. The doctor told me I had to make lists of things. Now I get up, have breakfast, take out my tablet, and do Sudoku puzzles. Every day I do something different to keep my mind active," she explained. For his part, Avellaneda admitted that after a long time of not wanting to reveal that he had had testicular cancer, he understood that sharing his diagnosis is important to raise awareness, especially among men.

Anna's insistence

The odyssey to get a diagnosis

Anna Cabarrocas had to persist in getting a diagnosis, as several doctors told her there was nothing wrong with her when she consulted them about pelvic pain. "There was a moment when I thought, 'Maybe I have tale"But when I stopped being able to go to the bathroom, I realized that something was wrong because I hadn't made any changes to my diet," recalls Cabarrocas, who explains that the diagnosis came through the public health system. The Marathon She shared that one of the hardest consequences of her cancer has been the impossibility of becoming a biological mother—her reproductive organs had to be removed, along with part of her rectum and bladder—although she expressed hope of fulfilling her desire for motherhood through other means. "There is cancer oblivion, and perhaps I will be able to adopt," she said.

Luz Casal's Two Cancers

The importance of information

The Galician singer Luz Casal has participated in The Marathon singer Nothing is impossibleBut she also explained how she overcame two cancers. In this regard, she emphasized that regular checkups are key. "The more information you have, the more you know, the better off you'll be. With a disease like cancer, you always have to be cautious," she argued. Casal stated that both cancers were a life-changing experience that made her more sensitive to others and more grateful. She also remarked that they allowed her to get to know herself better. "I'm not a dependent person, but with both cancers I felt dependent, and it was quite a learning experience," she explained.

The differences between men and women

The reluctance to show vulnerability

One of the ideas that has been repeated during The Marathon It's the reluctance of many men to talk about cancer, an aspect that designer Juan Avellaneda, for example, has pointed out. Ruben Pineda, a cancer patient, also spoke about this in a conversation with Ramon Pellicer. In his case, he explained that he had been surprised to find very few men in the groups and workshops with other patients. "Unfortunately, men are still raised with this idea of having to hide vulnerability, of not crying," Pineda reflects, adding that the support groups are mostly made up of women.

Hereditary Cancers

A family affected by illness

Although it's not the most common, some cancers can be hereditary (approximately 5% to 10% of all cancers). Raquel has had two cancers, the first at age 32 and the second at age 43. Around the same time as her second diagnosis, her cousin was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Because of this, doctors recommended that the family undergo genetic testing. This is how doctors discovered that Raquel's daughter, Judith, also had the same mutation as her mother, the BRCA1 gene. Given this, the medical team recommended removing her ovaries and fallopian tubes, and performing a prophylactic mastectomy. Despite this difficult process, Judith was eventually diagnosed with breast cancer in her nipple, the only part of her breast that hadn't been removed. "You're left completely stunned because you've done everything you've been told," she explains. With all this, the family recently received good news: Marta, Judit's daughter and Raquel's granddaughter, is the first in the family who does not have the genetic mutation that causes cancer in her relatives.

Ricky Rubio and Òscar Dalmau

Shared family stories

Another celebrity couple who have shared their experience with cancer are basketball player Ricky Rubio and comedian Óscar Dalmau. Both know firsthand what it's like to have family members battling a tumor. In Rubio's case, his mother died four years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Several members of Dalmau's family have also experienced cancer, most recently his father and mother, both of whom have now recovered. "For me, my mother was the most important person in the world. You're in the United States and you think, 'What am I doing here?' [...]. I think my mother waited until the NBA season was over and came here, and after four or five weeks she passed away," recalls Rubio, who says that advances in medicine have given him a more hopeful attitude toward cancer. "When I presented in 2012..." The Marathon, "Dedicated to cancer research with Ariadna Oltra, the doctors told us that the research was aimed at ensuring that people didn't die from cancer, but with cancer. That cancer wouldn't be the final cause of death. I've been able to verify this with my mother and father," Dalmau explains.

The reunion of Ramon Pellicer and Júlia Otero

The former couple meet on the set of 'La Marató'

Ramon Pellicer, host of The Marathon This year, and Julia Otero were married between 1987 and 1993. Although they divorced some time ago, they still have a good relationship and today they reunited on the set of The Marathonwhere the journalist shared her story as a colon cancer patient, a disease she was diagnosed with in 2021. "I'm doing well, provisionally. And waiting for the eight months and twenty days to pass so I can say I'm cured," confessed Otero, who explained that after eleven months of treatment, she has resumed it. She also admitted that she experiences each new check-up with great fear. "A good oncologist isn't just one who knows how to treat their patient, but one who knows how to find the patient's limits to achieve success," said Otero, who was accompanied by one of her oncologists, Dr. Josep Tabernero. The journalist affirms that when she received the diagnosis, she chose to have as much information as possible about the disease and the treatment. "Knowing everything comforted me," she confessed.

The five children pay tribute to Pau Riba

The quintet has offered a version of the song 'Porcelain Girl'

In the musical section, one performance was particularly touching: that of the five Riba siblings paying tribute to their father, Pau Riba, by performing together one of his most famous songs: Porcelain girlThe musician died in 2022, after a relapse when he seemed to have overcome pancreatic cancer. Another vibrant tribute was the one dedicated by the group Mishima to Marc Lloret, keyboardist and one of the founding members of the band, who died at age 51 in February, after three years suffering from lung cancer. Mishima played Let me believe and announced that they would create the Marc Lloret award for best song.

Pablo Alborán's pause

The singer experienced a similar situation within his family.

Pablo Alborán was one of the well-known figures interviewed on the program. The singer explained how a case of cancer affected a member of his immediate family, whose identity he didn't reveal. "Life was showing us its claws," explained the musician, who put his artistic career on hold to dedicate himself to providing the necessary support for the sick person. Beforehand, he toured, donating all the proceeds to cancer research. He then experienced the bone marrow transplant, all the associated treatments, and the post-operative period. "The uncertainty was the worst," he revealed. "We need to promote information, especially about bone marrow donation, which is a simple procedure that lasts fifteen minutes and they remove it through your arm." Fortunately, this person recovered well, and Alborán couldn't help but get emotional when he recalled how humor helped him through this situation. He also explained that he has written the song Floor 7A song that lasts ten minutes "and defies all possible algorithms," which Alborán hopes will be "a hug" for everyone going through a similar ordeal, and also for those who dedicate themselves to supporting patients.

Francesc Mauri and the importance of support

He and his partner present a case of relapsed ovarian cancer

One of the most moving testimonies was that of Maite, whose diagnosis of very severe stage 4 ovarian cancer triggered a deep depression that left her highly dependent on others. After sharing her story, she revealed that she had come accompanied by her partner, a familiar face to TV3 viewers: meteorologist Francesc Mauri. They both spoke about the crucial role of a companion and were able to celebrate on screen the positive evolution of her cancer. "She's a survivor," explained Mauri, who recalled how ovarian cancer is silent and rapidly spreading. It has been two years since she stopped treatment and Maite is cancer-free, but, as Mauri reminded viewers, "we have to wait another eight years" to consider the disease completely eradicated.