La entrada Loida Zabala does not give up: the champion who competes against cancer without stopping dreaming se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>Since October 2023, however, his life has been divided between two parallel struggles: sport and life. That month he was diagnosed with
A career marked by excellence
Before her diagnosis, Loida Zabala was already an international reference. Her career includes more than two decades competing at the highest level, with an unusual regularity in high performance sport. She has been present in the last five Paralympic Games, achieving a diploma in four of them, and has maintained an almost absolute hegemony at the national level.
Her title as European champion in 2022 consolidated an already brilliant career. However, what has happened since she began cancer treatment has surprised even those who know her best.
Cancer as a new rival
Since October 2023, Zabala has been living with incurable cancer. She herself has defined this period as a «competition for life». Far from taking her away from the sport, the treatments have transformed her body and the way she competes. Before cancer, she competed in the under 50 kg category. Now she competes under 67, after medication caused fluid retention and an inevitable weight gain.
The physical impact was severe. After the first treatment, I could barely lift more than 40 kilos. Even so, the process was not an end point, but a new beginning. In 2025, Loida Zabala has beaten the Spanish record twice in her new category, to 105 kilograms. A figure that sums up the dimension of her competitive recovery. «There I saw everything very difficult, but in two years I have lifted more than in 19 years,» she reflects, as reported by MARCA.
Motivation from life
The key to this resurgence is not only in training. Zabala explained how the diagnosis has changed her way of understanding life and sport. «Cancer has given me a lot of motivation because I have greatly valued the fact that I am alive today, the opportunity to feel, to learn, to grow…», she acknowledges.
That vital approach has translated directly into performance. «All that motivation on a daily basis has made me improve my record on a national and international level;
She has even developed personal strategies to combat the exhaustion generated by the treatments: «I have learned to ‘hack’ a little bit the cancer medication, which causes a lot of exhaustion. I have achieved this by walking with my dog and thus creating serotonin, training, generating endorphins, hugging the people I love to generate oxytocin… It is a way of ‘hacking’ the brain to keep it at its best».
An uncertain future, but full of goals
Despite the medical uncertainty, Loida Zabala looks to the future with sporting ambition. The calendar does not stop and neither does she. In March, the European Championships will be held, an event in which she aspires to compete despite the difficulties. «I would like to revalidate the title of European champion that I achieved in 2022, although now I am not in the same situation or in the same weight category. The European Championships are in March. I don’t know if I’ll make it, but I’m going to give my all to be the best I can,» she says.
His big dream, however, is further away in time. The
A pact sealed with the oncologist
The relationship between sport and life reaches one of its most symbolic moments in the story of his conversation with his oncologist, Maru Olmedo, at La Paz Hospital in Madrid. After learning that his disease had no cure, Zabala decided to face reality head-on. «When I saw that there was no cure, I sat down with my oncologist alone and asked her, ‘How long do I have to live?'»
The answer was direct, although she prefers not to verbalize it out of respect for her mother. Her reaction, however, was immediate. «And I answered her: ‘Okay, my purpose then is to get to Los Angeles 2028, which would be my sixth Games.’ And we shook hands as if sealing a pact. She told me that for her part she would do everything possible. And well, that’s where we are,» she says with a smile.
The alarm that signals hope
Among the daily gestures that sum up her way of life is one that is especially symbolic. Zabala has an alarm set on his cell phone. «I have an alarm programmed, which is one of my dreams that I have left to fulfill, which is after Los Angeles 2028. A date when it is possible that I will no longer be alive. Statistically it’s impossible, but if I see that alarm, which is called ‘You’re still alive,’ well, I’m going to come here and celebrate with you.»
He talks about death naturally, but without losing his cheerfulness. In interviews he keeps smiling, even in the smallest details, such as wearing a Santa Claus Christmas hat to a photo shoot. His attitude is not an imposture: it is part of his way of resisting.
Sport as an emotional refuge
Sport remains her focus. «Being focused on the Games and sport has always helped me a lot. If you focus on what you really like, it’s as if the bad moments or difficult things accept themselves,» she explains. For
Her story is not one of early retirement or farewell. It is that of an athlete who continues to compete, lifting more weight than ever and looking to Los Angeles 2028 as a legitimate goal. In the midst of a battle against incurable cancer, Loida Zabala continues to prove that high performance can also be a way to hold on to life.
La entrada Loida Zabala does not give up: the champion who competes against cancer without stopping dreaming se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>La entrada Borja Sémper reappears after months of treatment and shares message of hope in networks se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>Sémper expressed his gratitude for the support received: «We are grateful for the support we have received.So far so good. Grateful for so much affection and encouragement impossible to answer one by one. Thank you! «. His publication, echoed by thousands of followers, generated numerous reactions of solidarity among colleagues, journalists and citizens.
The diagnosis: a tumor detected at an early stage
The former Basque parliamentarian revealed his illness on July 14, after confirming that a cancerous tumor had been detected in a «very early» stage during a routine check-up. The diagnosis forced him to face a «demanding» treatment and altered his public presence.
After 4 months of treatment, I’ve been without chemotherapy for 4 weeks now.
Hair is starting to come out and little by little I’m recovering courage and strength to face what lies ahead.
So far so good.Grateful for so much affection and encouragement impossible to answer one by one.
Thank you! pic.twitter.com/wYOoygnwqy– Borja Sémper (@bsemper) December 8, 2025
In his press conference, Sémper pointed out that he hopes to overcome the ailment with good medical prospects. In spite of the personal impact, he indicated his intention to make the professional one «as little as possible, although it will be difficult». This announcement generated a wave of support both inside and outside his party.
Public solidarity and family support in networks
During these months, his partner, actress Bárbara Goenaga, has publicly expressed her support on several occasions. In September she published an emotional message with family photos, assuring that although he «looks strange, he is still the most handsome guy on the planet, and the most cheerful and best sick».
More recently, Sémper also shared a message on Instagram thanking him for his company: «»I once told him ‘I will slay dragons for you’; now I am aware of how presumptuous I was…»». In his networks, Sémper has also recovered small daily habits, such as sharing his pending readings, thus showing his intention to gradually resume normality.
The message of optimism after difficult weeks
Monday’s publication not only marks a turning point in his treatment, but also a gesture of optimism. In the midst of a hard physical and emotional process, the politician has decided to share his improvement with the public, aware of the impact and support that his situation had awakened.
Sémper’s words are evidence of his willingness to move forward with renewed strength and to show that recovery, although gradual, is possible. This sincerity has received public praise and has generated a flood of messages of encouragement.
A cautious and hopeful recovery
The break in chemotherapy represents a significant pause in his treatment, although Sémper has not yet detailed the medical steps he will take next. What he does communicate is that his hair is beginning to reappear and that his mood is improving, two symbolic signs of overcoming a delicate health process.
Armengol’s emotional message to Sémper in his hard personal moment
This type of statement can also contribute to making visible the reality of many people fighting against cancer, and to generate social solidarity. In her case, her high public exposure multiplies the reach of this message of resistance.
A difficult chapter that does not stop your will to continue
With his announcement, Borja Sémper puts a momentary end to months of discretion and media absence. The hope of resuming his life, his family, his work and his projects appears again, although with the caution of those who know the rigors of treatment.
Sémper’s story is a reminder that even public figures must face challenges as human as cancer, and that behind political life there are people with fears, hopes and adversities. His reappearance is a breath of hopeful air, while his message continues to generate support and affection from different corners of the country.
La entrada Borja Sémper reappears after months of treatment and shares message of hope in networks se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>La entrada A treatment against cancer excites in Ibiza: a patient achieves «spectacular results». se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>Both Herrera and his colleagues, Dr. Javier Vercher, Dr. Fabiola Aquilar, Dr. Sofia Villaverde and Dr. Lourdes Torres avoid any triumphalism, but stress that some of the answers «have been very satisfactory».
Since 2023, four Ibizans have received this therapy through the reference hospital, Son Espases, a nationally accredited center. The balance combines caution and progress based on heterogeneous results: a young patient who maintains a complete response, an initial favorable evolution in another case, another case that has been followed up with complications in the peninsula and a death.
Hematologists insist: CAR-T is not yet for everyone, but it is beginning to open a window that did not exist before.
A promising development
In just two years, CAR-T in Ibiza has gone from being a distant concept to become a real therapeutic resource in very specific situations. It is applied only in patients with relapses or resistance to standard treatments. In the words of Dr.. Herrera, «it is a therapy that has come to provide one more possibility within the range of options».
In terms of efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma, CART cell therapy has demonstrated in clinical trials, high response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) superior to that observed with standard chemotherapy regimens, despite side effects.
Caution dominates the team’s discourse. Dr. Fabiola Aguilar stresses that «patients with a lot of disease or who have undergone several lines of previous treatment may have less than ideal results» and that the response depends, to a large extent, on the level of accumulated toxicity and the clinical moment at which the procedure is indicated.
The young patient who reinforces hope
The most striking case is that of a young woman withadvanced mediastinal non-Hodgkin B lymphoma that debuted with cardiac tamponade. After standard treatment, the disease progressed rapidly again. Referral to Son Espases allowed CAR-T to be applied.
Eight months later, the radiological controls speak for themselves. Dr. Herrera details that «he is in complete metabolic response at 30, 90 and 180 days» after the CAR-T cell therapy, with an evolution that he describes as «very satisfactory» . According to the physician, these results «have been spectacular».
Dr. Aguilar, however, clarifies that «each patient has clinical characteristics such as age, functional status, comorbidities, previous lines of treatment, tumor burden, etc., which can influence the response of the disease to CAR-T cell therapy.
However, this example marks a turning point in the local perception of the treatment: for the first time, Ibiza has a young and highly aggressive case that achieves complete remission with CAR-T cell therapy.
Progress and limits
The other patients’ course shows a heterogeneous picture.
A second patient, with diffuse B lymphoma that relapsed before one year, has recently received CAR-T cell therapy and is «clinically stable» pending further studies.
The first patient treated from Ibiza had an adverse outcome. He arrived at CAR-T after «several relapses» and with a «very refractory» disease. He returned home after the procedure, but eventually died. Specialists recall that the accumulated resistance with multiple treatments hinders the efficacy of CAR-T.
The remaining case is that of a woman with aggressive multiple myeloma, referred to the Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona. She initially achieved a partial response and remained hospitalized due to complications associated with the treatment.
What exactly is CAR-T
CART cell therapy consists of extracting the patient’s T lymphocytes, modifying them genetically with an antigen that is specific to lymphoma or myeloma, so that the body will activate the immune system, generating a specific response that will attack the problem tumor cell.»
It is a procedure whose manufacture is complex and costly, its administration is limited to specialized institutions, financed in Spain by the Ministry of Health and applied only in accredited centers. In the Balearic Islands, the Son Espases University Hospital is listed as an accredited center, while Can Misses acts as a referral hospital, accompanying the patient before and after the procedure.
Who can access the CAR-T
Physicians stress that the indication depends on very strict clinical criteria, established by international trials and validated by the Ministry.
Dr Herrera specifies that:
- In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma , it is indicated when the patient «has not responded to a first line or relapses before 12 months»;
- In relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
- In multiple myeloma, «at least in second line of treatment» is indicated, provided that the program is active in the receiving center.
In any case, Dr. Aguilar also explains that what happens with highly polytreated patients is that they are at greater risk of not responding, because «the tumor cell develops resistance mechanisms the more it is exposed to previous treatments».
These assessments are always coordinated with the expert center, which determines whether the patient can tolerate the procedure and whether the disease is sufficiently controlled to move forward.
Real risks, growing benefits
CAR-T cell therapy can cause cytokine release syndrome, hypotension, neurological disturbances and serious infections. Dr. Herrera sums it up literally: «It is not a harmless procedure by any means».
Even so, the experience accumulated over time optimizes strategies in the management of complications, and specialists believe that CAR-T will continue to expand its indications as real-life studies confirm its benefits.
Herrera notes: «It has made a positive contribution… and to know that we have one more strategy with significant results within the therapeutic possibilities».
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La entrada A treatment against cancer excites in Ibiza: a patient achieves «spectacular results». se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>La entrada What if prostate cancer treatment could be reduced to just six months? A Spanish study opens a new avenue se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>Coinciding with Movember, the international month dedicated to raising awareness of men’s health, the researchers of the project, promoted by the research initiative of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (IRAD-SEOR), have shared promising preliminary data. As they explain, the first results show that the evolution of the patients has been positive and without relevant complications.
Shorter treatment with fewer side effects
Hormonal treatment, which is administered together with radiotherapy when the disease becomes active again after surgery, has proven to be effective in controlling prostate cancer. However, its usual duration (two years) involves a number of significant side effects that affect patients’ quality of life.
Among them, experts mention persistent fatigue, loss of muscle and bone mass, metabolic and sexual alterations, emotional impact and cardiovascular risks. Reducing its duration to just six months could drastically reduce these complications and facilitate a faster recovery.
The study, which has already enrolled more than 240 patients and expects to reach 534 in total, could mark a turning point in the approach to this disease, which is the second most frequent type of cancer in men worldwide.
Encouraging results for patients
The researchers emphasize that the preliminary results are «very encouraging». In most cases, the evolution of the patients has been positive, with good control of the disease and no serious side effects.
Felipe Couñago, principal investigator of the trial and medical director of GenesisCare Spain, explains that this line of work could lead to a relevant change in clinical practice: «We are seeing that patients tolerate the shorter treatment well, without major complications, and with good disease control. If this is confirmed in the next analyses, we will be looking at a real opportunity to improve care and reduce the impact of treatment on patients’ daily lives.»
The researchers hope that reducing the duration of treatment will not only maintain therapeutic efficacy, but also allow patients to return to their usual activity sooner and with less physical and emotional sequelae.
A trial with scientific backing and international projection
The ‘URONCOR 06-24’ trial has received the backing of the scientific community and three IRAD-SEOR grants awarded in the last four years. The most recent one was awarded this November during the national symposium of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology, which reinforces the sector’s commitment to this type of innovative research.
In addition, the study is officially registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05781217), one of the main international clinical trial platforms, which guarantees the transparency and methodological rigor of the project.
«Having 17 centers working together on a common objective is an example of the high scientific level we have in Spain,» added Couñago. «These types of studies not only seek to advance treatment, they also demonstrate our ability to lead projects that can change clinical practice.»
Movember: raising awareness about men’s health
The presentation of the progress of the ‘URONCOR 06-24’ trial coincides with the international Movember movement, an initiative that every November seeks to raise awareness about men’s health, especially prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health.
Prostate cancer affects thousands of men in Spain every year, being one of the most common diagnoses. However, thanks to early detection and advances in treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and hormonal therapies, survival has improved significantly in recent years.
Scientists insist that the key is to continue to innovate and to personalize treatments. Reducing the duration of hormone therapy, if confirmed by the study results, could become a measure that combines clinical efficacy and personal well-being.
A potential revolution in radiation oncology
If the results of the trial are confirmed, Spain could be facing one of the greatest recent scientific contributions in the field of radiation oncology. A shorter treatment, equally effective and with fewer adverse effects, would mean a radical change in the way prostate cancer is approached.
The medical community hopes that definitive data will become available in the next few years and that they can serve as a basis for updating international clinical guidelines. If so, thousands of patients could benefit from less invasive treatments that are more compatible with their daily lives.
La entrada What if prostate cancer treatment could be reduced to just six months? A Spanish study opens a new avenue se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>La entrada Sant Josep closes its eighth edition against cancer with a solidarity day of music and sport se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
]]>A manifesto for prevention and research
During the main event of the day, the associations against cancer of the Pitiusas have read a joint manifesto in which they have claimed the importance of prevention, a healthy diet and the promotion of research as key tools in the fight against this disease.
The mayor of Sant Josep, Vicente Roig, has stressed the need to continue to strengthen the care of cancer patients on the islands. «In 2024 alone, Can Misses Hospital had to attend 7,731 oncology consultations, of which 288 were first appointments. Each of these numbers represents a person, a story and a struggle. It is essential that we continue to join forces with adequate resources,» said the mayor. He also praised the work of the associations, highlighting that «they often go where the administration cannot» and thanking them for their dedication to provide hope and resources to those who need them most.
Solidarity activities and a rock closing
From early in the morning, attendees were able to participate in various activities organized by local associations and groups. Among them, they have highlighted the Sound Healing sessions, by Sía Shakti; a Master Class of Kangoo Jumps with Kangoo Club Ibiza, and a Ballet Fit class, taught by Eva María Redondo.
The little ones also had their space with the puppet cabaret of laMaletitiritera, while the day ended with the most authentic rock by Sound Rock, in a musical closure full of energy and solidarity.
An event with great social support
The eighth edition of Sant Josep Against Cancer has had the involvement of numerous associations and organizations. The Spanish Association Against Cancer in Ibiza (AECC), the Pitiusa Association of Aid to Affected by Cancer (APAAC), the Elena Torres Association for Research for the Early Detection of Cancer, the Association of Parents of Children with Cancer of the Balearic Islands (ASPANOB), Ibiza and Formentera Against Cancer (IFCC) and the Spanish Association of Metastatic Breast Cancer (CMM) have been present.
Each of these entities has set up information tables where they have shared their work and sold solidarity products such as T-shirts, toys, plants and books, raising funds to continue their work.
In addition, local groups and organizations such as Kangoo Club Ibiza, IES Algarb, Formación Profesional de las Illes Balears, Penya Esportiva Sant Jordi, Asociación de Mujeres de Cala de Bou, ASPANADIF and Aquatics Ibiza have added their support to the cause, actively participating in the program of activities.
A week of awareness and commitment
The closing of this Sunday has put the finishing touch to a week of sports, recreational and educational activities organized by the City Council of Sant Josep through the Department of Social Action, Family and Equality.
On the occasion of World Cancer Day, which is commemorated every February 4, this event has established itself as a reference on the island to raise awareness of the importance of prevention, early detection and research.
The success of this edition reinforces the commitment of the municipality in the fight against cancer, joining efforts with society to further advance awareness and support for those affected and their families.
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La entrada Sant Josep closes its eighth edition against cancer with a solidarity day of music and sport se publicó primero en La Voz De Ibiza.
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