Among 32,000 women gathered at one of the largest women’s sports events in Europe to complete a 7k run for a noble cause.
“Carrera de la Mujer” is a race that promotes women in sports, the fight against breast cancer, and increases visibility, raising awareness and fighting for women's rights, especially fighting gender violence due to social and educational inequalities.
Carrera de la Mujer is celebrated across different towns in Spain every year. Still, its largest showing is in Madrid, where some of our One Team members from Sonnedix España represented our company on Sunday, May 7.
Proudly wearing their pink shirts for the race, which honors breast cancer victims and survivors, were team members Isabel Aguado Moreta, Maria Jose Perez Manzano, Marta Jimenez Prieto, Silvia Elvira Cruz, Viktoriya Shlikhutka, and Yolanda Hoyos Peregrina.
In 2020, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and there were 685,000 deaths globally.
In Spain, around 34,353 new breast cancers were diagnosed in 2021, as notified by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer). While breast cancer can affect women in any country, factors that increase the risk include age, obesity, family history of breast cancer, and postmenopausal hormone therapy.
However, early detection and treatment are key for prevention and survival rates (90% or higher).
Past the finish line, a festival was held with entertainment, food, and a special tribute to mothers (May 7 was also Mother’s Day in Spain). The event, which also serves as a fundraiser, collectively donated 75,000 euros to the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), Wanawake Mujer, Fundación GEICAM, and Clara Campoamor Association (Gender Violence).
“It is great that the money fundraised goes to organizations passionate about breast cancer, and it is also an opportunity to support women who are affected by this deadly disease,” said Yolanda Hoyos Peregrina, Utility Scale Engineering Leader, Sonnedix España.
Carrera de la Mujer 2023 also counted on the support of inspirational women who advocate for this disease, including Virginia Torrecilla, a soccer player and cancer survivor; Ivana Zagorac, professional world runner and Postdoctoral fellow in the H12O-CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Group Spanish National Cancer Research Center, and other notable female athletes.
Sonnedix España has supported this event since 2019, and we are thankful that our organization helps us create these bonds among teammates, which we feel increases efficiency in the workplace and support for each other as women.