3 Local Police and 1 Guardia Civil officer from Santa Pola are set to embark on a kayak crossing across France, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean coast, in a joint initiative of the Star Spain International Police Exchange Association and the National Arthritis Coordinator, to give visibility to the people affected by arthritis.
As explained by Conarthritis, National Arthritis Coordinator, this disease does not only affect elderly people. In fact, they insist that it is becoming more widespread among the population.
“Few people know that rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondylarthritis, among others, are autoimmune pathologies that can arise in the first months of life, in the middle of adolescence or in adulthood,” they point out. And, unfortunately, they indicate that it cannot be prevented, so it appears “when you least expect it”.
Given so much ignorance about the disease, Star Spain International Police Exchange has decided to launch a visibility campaign, in collaboration with the Arthritis Coordinator.
The police association, non-profit and made up of members of police forces from numerous countries around the world, was born to carry out immersive police exchanges (2 weeks long) between American and European police officers. However, for years, the Spanish platform carries out different solidarity initiatives in favour of the fight against various diseases, such as cancer or Alzheimer’s, which raised approximately €55,000 and €10,000 respectively.
This time it is the turn of arthritis. So, the Spanish headquarters of the Association has launched a new awareness campaign to support people who have been diagnosed with this disease that, unfortunately, takes on many faces. In fact, more than 100 types of arthritis are recognised and millions of people in the world suffer.
The members of the police forces have decided to kayak the maritime route that joins the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean, a route more than 600 km of travel through French channels. They estimate that it will take about 10 days to complete it and two more between coming and going from the Alicante coastal town.
Their progress will be tracked through social networks, and they hope will have a high level of repercussion, in order to give greater visibility to all the people who fight this disease on a daily basis. But they will not go alone, they will be accompanied by Art, a stuffed dinosaur policeman, as a symbol of all the people affected.
