Like the giant pink balloons that scraped the Tenerife skyline, the Walk For Life gets bigger and better every year. Last years tenth anniversary walk was always going to be difficult to equal, so they didn’t, they surpassed it. A pink and white army of 3,200 walkers arrived from all corners of the island, united many different communities, and raised an amazing 15,100 euros.
There was an early morning party atmosphere at the Magma Arts & Congress centre in Costa Adeje as people gathered in ingenious mixtures of the cause colours. Live music and dancing from the big stage set the tone, many sad recollections are stirred each year as lost loved ones are remembered but the atmosphere is always upbeat, hope, resilience, and friendship are the fuels for this event. The drum bands were shaping up, a few finishing touches were added to costumes for humans and dogs, and Mayor Fraga of Adeje and Mayor Jose Mena Perez of Arona joined founder, organizer, and driving force Brigitte Gypen to set us on our way.
As the walkers poured down the ramp of the Magma Centre the stream seemed never ending, police and security made we sure we got funneled across the road as bewildered drivers waited. There are always a few tweaks to the route but are first big objective was to head for the seafront promenade of Playa de Las Americas. It was nice to see so many family groups spanning the generations, the swallows, our wintering pensioners, and the Armada Sur, the CD Tenerife fan club I’m so proud to belong to, were making their usual commitment, there was even a youth team from Nandu Rugby Club.
The female motorbikers were another returning favourite, they have big bikes but even bigger hearts. All forms of transport were showing their colours, some people had mobility scooters, and further on in the walk we noticed the Los Cristianos sailing school, Escuela de Vela, had hoisted their colours to the mast as a show of support. At three points along the 4.5 km route there were opt out points for those who couldn’t manage the full distance, free shuttle buses were on hand to ferry them to the finish point. As we passed busy bars and restaurants many people added money to the rattling collection buckets and many others rose from their sun beds to cheer and encourage.
It looked an amazing sight as the procession spread all along the promenade at Las Vistas beach, the tunnel between there and the old beach was a bit of a bottle neck and groups had to go through a few hundred at a time as the other walkers marked time. Our route this time took us up the back way from the beach to turn right at the church plaza for the final approach to the cultural centre and the stage that had been set up there. There was a mix of relief, pride, and exhilaration as walkers fanned out into the Plaza del Pescador and tucked into the bananas and cold drinks that had been supplied. A burst of pink and white balloons filled the sky and those tired feet managed some joyous dancing to the singers who were giving their time for the cause.
The counting and registering of the collected money, and the drawing of the many donated raffle prizes meant the show glowed on for several hours. Los Cristianos felt the windfall of the walk as bars and restaurants were peppered with pink customers. I was chuffed to hear the Armada Sur raised 1,187 euros, big thanks to those who made that possible and to everyone who got involved this year. The good work of the charity continues, both mayors pledged their support to helping form a Walk For Life Foundation in time for next year so they can offer even more help to breast cancer sufferers. Click here to see the full parade of my photos from the Walk For Life, and Swim For Life which took place earlier this year.