Announce fourth "Heroes of the Heart" walk to support children with cancer in Santiago

Santiago.- The Jesus with the Children Volunteer announced on the afternoon of this Monday the celebration of the fourth edition of the walk “Heroes of the Heart”, a solidarity day that seeks to raise awareness about childhood cancer and raise funds for the treatments of children treated in the Hematology-Oncology Unit of the Dr. Arturo Grullón Children's Hospital. The activity is scheduled for Saturday, April 19th, starting at 8:00 in the morning, in the Central Park of Santiago, where dozens of families, volunteers and citizens will join in a journey full of hope in favor of the young patients who are fighting against this disease. During a press meeting with media from the Cibao region, the organizers officially presented the jersey and two advertising spots for this edition, while reiterating that the funds raised will be used not only to support oncology treatments, but also to promote an ambitious social project: the construction of a home for families of children with cancer. The information was provided by the coordinator (UHOP) and founders of the volunteer group, including Brenda Sánchez, who expressed that this walk represents much more than a recreational event, defining it as "a morning to walk for the lives of our little angels".

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Sánchez explained that the Volunteer group Jesús con los Niños has been working since 1997 providing support in sensitive areas such as burn victims, orthopedics, HIV, and oncology, the latter being one of the most in-demand due to the increase in pediatric cases in the region.

"Every year we do this walk for our children. We want to invite not only Santiago, but the entire Dominican people: to La Vega, Moca, Puerto Plata and other provinces, to join with their families. Every step we take is for a child who is currently fighting a battle against cancer," he stated.

One of the main objectives of this edition is to raise funds for the creation of a home that will allow parents and family members with limited resources who come from different provinces of the Cibao to be housed with dignity, accompanying their children during long medical treatments. As the organizers explained, many of these family members must stay for weeks or months in Santiago, facing very difficult conditions, sometimes resting in hallways or improvised spaces due to not having resources for lodging.

“The shelter will allow those parents to bathe, eat hot meals, and rest with dignity while accompanying their children in one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives,” Sánchez highlighted, underscoring the human impact of the initiative.

Tuty Almonte de Zouain, UHOP coordinator, who broke down all the logistics of the walk, who detailed the logistics of the event, also participated in the activity; Orquídea Cruz, who offered information on ticket sales points; and Dr. Adrián Vieto, strategic access and advocacy manager for Central America and the Caribbean at Adium Pharma, one of the sponsoring companies. Entries for the walk are available through the website of Voluntariado Jesús con los Niños, at its offices located within the Dr. Arturo Grullón Children's Hospital, in the Central Park of Santiago, and through the different volunteers of the organization. Currently, in the Hematology-Oncology Unit of the Dr. Arturo Grullón Children's Hospital, children from the 14 provinces of the Cibao region receive specialized treatments to combat cancer, which makes this center an essential pillar of pediatric care for the entire northern region of the country. Among the official sponsors of this fourth edition are Adium Pharma, Banco BHD and AFP Siembra, as well as other entities such as Humano Seguros, Caminantes por la Vida, Centro de Radioterapia del Cibao, Congelados Express, Cooperativa San José, Amipharma, Interpuntos Publicidad Vial, Lunq TV, Zeta Films, Corporación Zona Franca Santiago, Clínica Corominas, Importadora La Plaza, Parque Central de Santiago, Gran Teatro del Cibao, MV Relaciones Públicas and Islita RD. With this new version of "Heroes of the Heart", the Jesus with the Children Volunteer Program once again bets on citizen solidarity to continue transforming pain into hope and provide respite to families facing the harsh reality of childhood cancer.