The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, accompanied by the delegate of Social Policies, Family, and Equality, José Fernández, and the councilor of Tetuán, Paula Gómez-Angulo, received today at the Palacio de Cibeles the Corredores Solidarios movement, a citizen group that, hand in hand with the adELA Association, has completed the challenge that began in 2021 to travel through all the municipalities of the Community of Madrid with the aim of raising awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). During the event, the participants read a manifesto, and the mayor presented them with the city flag, symbolically closing this charitable initiative.
Almeida emphasized the emotion of having «all of you here» because «there is no greater triumph than fighting for others.» In this regard, he highlighted the role of this movement that «perfectly exemplifies the soul, spirit, and heart of Madrid and the other 178 municipalities» and reaffirmed the priority for the City Council to «always stand by ALS patients.» The mayor also advocated for the role of sports as «a school of life, healthy habits, and overcoming adversities.»
With this final stage in the city of Madrid, Corredores Solidarios has ‘conquered’ the emblems of the 179 municipalities in the region. Over the four years of the challenge, they covered 984 kilometers in 48 stages. Along the way, they carried out altruistic work to raise awareness about ALS, a disease that affects more than 4,000 people in Spain, with around 900 new cases diagnosed each year and a life expectancy of two to five years after detection.
The Madrid City Council, in its strong commitment to improving the quality of life for people with ALS, has granted a specific subsidy of 35,000 euros to the adELA Association this year to provide respiratory physiotherapy to 160 individuals with this disease. Additionally, the City Council will support the second ‘Madrid con la ELA’ race on June 29, which will take place along the Paseo de la Castellana.
