”We have to enjoy every minute, enjoy the little things, because time passed does not come back.” —Sandra Cortés, cancer patient
Three years ago, Sandra Cortés was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer which she’s suffered in multiple sequels. We’ve talked with her about her experience and everything related to the “good people” she has met on her journey.
To receive a diagnosis of childhood cancer is a heavy hit. For Sandra’s family, traveling to Barcelona from Burgos neighborhood Medina de Pomar raised an additional problem to the diagnosis and already changing environment. “They moved us to Barcelona because it is the reference center for the cancer that they diagnosed me with,” Sandra tells us. “Being from Medina de Pomar, more than 600 km from Barcelona, and not having any family or friends here, the Villavecchia Foundation offered us an apartment that we’ve been enjoying for the last three years. It provides a convenience in terms of having to visit the hospital for consultations and different treatments of varying duration or any urgent situations. We take care of the apartment as if it was ours, knowing the great support it offers to families that, just like ours, have to go through this difficult situation. The apartment comes with a costly price; water, trash, electricity, neighborhood, taxes…All of this is covered by the Villavecchia Foundation. This wouldn’t have been financially possible for my family otherwise.”
Sandra Cortés, patient assisted by the Villavecchia Foundation.
Having been diagnostic with cancer and going through various sequels and recurrences, alongside times of pain that have changed her view on life. “I value the small moments, and there are things or situations that don’t matter to me as much anymore. And thanks to the illness I have realized that we give too much importance to things or situations in life that are not important. We need to enjoy every minute, enjoy the small things more, because time passed does not come back.”
During her treatment, Sandra has been accompanied by our team of pediatric palliative care. When we asked her what stays with her from this difficult experience, she responds, “with the great help that the Villavecchia Foundation does, for all their help and services given to me and my family”, highlighting how “the amazing professional service that they have given me at Sant Pau and the care I received from nurses and auxiliaries. And all the good people that we’ve met.” Sandra is very especially grateful for the nurses, “with their empathy, they’ve listened to me, supported me, consoled me, helped me, cheered me up and understood me in the most difficult moments of my illness.”
To a child who has just been diagnosed with the same illness, she could tell them many things, “I would explain that head and body hair loss is temporary, that the secondary affects of chemo are at first horrific, but once you face them, you realize they’re not forever. I would tell them that the more that you move from your bed after an operation, the better your recovery, and you will be able to better regain mobility. In case of a cancer recurrence, you know from previous steps what to do, and you must keep going forward, without thinking about the reasons behind the cancer coming back. There is no answer to the “why”. It is the unanswerable question of this cruel childhood illness.”
The sweetest Christmas Chocolate hides a sky full of stars in its interior.
Sandra loves to draw, and she’s drawn us a sky full of stars to decorate the interior of our solidarity Christmas chocolates. “I feel proud and excited that so many people will be able to buy the chocolate and see my stars,” Sandra shares. “Solidarity is necessary, and even more for this Foundation that has helped us so much.” From this chocolate we have produced 10.000 boxes (there are three chocolates in each box), that are now on sale. “The more, the better!”, says Sandra.
► Will you help us by buying the sweetest chocolate of the Christmas season? Place your order on our website and you might discover Sandra’s magic stars.