Wings For Life / Rebeca Monzo

The Plaza of the Doves, acrylic on canvas, Graciela Alvarez

Eight years ago, Dr. Alexis Cantero, an eminent surgeon at Fajardo Hospital, seeing the need women had after breast cancer surgery to refocus their lives, created a project where they would be grouped in an entirely voluntary way, in order to perform occupational therapy and cultural activities work, making their disease more bearable. In addition, he actively engaged their closest relatives in the talks and lectures given by other specialists, in order to achieve a greater understanding of this disease.

On the afternoon of October 19, World Day for the Fight Against Breast Cancer, the exhibition Yes to Life was opened in the site formerly occupied by the San Jose Funeral Home, located at Infanta and Carlos III, which was closed and abandoned many years ago. It has been refurbished recently prior to reopening it as a gallery with art exhibition rooms, as part of the Cultural Complex Quinta de los Moilinos.

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Homage to Haiti, acrylic on canvas, Bertha Lemus Máscara, artisan of Estela Alfonso

The group, which started with only five women (according to what one of its founders, Mrs. Silvia Plá, who was operated on fifteen years ago told us), now has over two hundred, including some artists and artisans. They meet every two months and organize lectures, field trips, parties and exhibitions as now. Wings for Life is a nonprofit project coordinated by a physician who has made his profession a true priesthood, and who strives to further disseminate knowledge about this disease and every day to provide more support to those who suffer or survive it.

October 21 2011