"Let's go for another 20 years". This is what the tireless Fuengirola-Mijas Costa Association of Relatives of Alzheimer's Patients (AFA) has published on its networks after celebrating its traditional charity gala dinner on Friday 28th, this year also coinciding with its 20th anniversary. "20 years is nothing as Gardel's song goes. But for us it has meant a lot: a lot of effort, a lot of work, but also a lot of satisfaction, we can see how this dinner is, we have far exceeded our expectations", said the president of the group, Paqui Lebrón, visibly moved, at the beginning of the evening. 

AFA held the charity event at the IPV Palace Hotel in Fuengirola, with some 200 people in attendance. For two decades this association has been helping and assisting families suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related illnesses. "We do everything in our power to make life easier and more pleasant for people with any type of dementia and their families", added the president.

A commendable task

Representatives of numerous groups in the municipality supported the cause. Also members of the local corporation of both municipalities. "The Mijas Town Hall has always wanted to collaborate with AFA. Lately, the associations of the third sector are having a really hard time because the Regional Government has not given them the necessary support they need to cover the space and the service they are providing to the citizens. All third sector associations need formal, direct, unequivocal support from the administrations and in Mijas this year we are going to provide nearly 700,000 euros to associations of this nature because we understand that we have to do it and while we can we will continue to do so", said the councillor for Social Inclusion of the Mijas Town Hall, Hipólito Zapico (PSOE).

Similarly, the first deputy mayor of Mijas, José Carlos Martín (Cs), said: "We, as we do every year, are contributing our grain of sand, especially to AFA, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It is full of people who want to collaborate like us with this important work that they do, altruistically, where the administrations do not reach and we had to be there and here we are. So congratulations to the president and to all those who collaborate in one way or another for the great work they do".

For her part, the councillor of the PP in Mijas, Ana Mata, stated that "unfortunately we know more and more people who are beginning to suffer cognitive deterioration at a younger age and we can be proud to have associations like this in our territory, both in Mijas and Fuengirola, because they are people who are committed to offering these memory workshops which are so important for the elderly to be more and more involved and that no one is left behind". 

Vox Mijas councillor Francisco Jerez also said that AFA "is an association established in both municipalities because unfortunately the disease does not understand ideologies, municipalities or ages. More and more young people are beginning to suffer from it and these dinners are events in which society turns out to give its support".

573 beneficiaries

In its 20 years of existence, AFA has assisted 573 patients and has supported 2003 families. Right now we are attending to almost 90 people daily, we have a waiting list, both of people from Mijas and Fuengirola and younger and younger people. In the centre we have users under 60 and quite a lot of people. I don't know what is happening but there are more and more people affected and they are very vulnerable people, the families have a very hard time, they are desperate, because they don't know where to turn and the only way they have is our way, because the public health system does not give them the right treatment to slow down the disease", Lebrón explained. 

"There are more and more young people who are beginning to show symptoms of Alzheimer's, senile dementia, different types of related disorders and the administrations have to take action on the matter, the competent ones first, and those of us who do not have direct competences, by political will we are doing it and we understand that we have to support the initiatives of these associations because they have to take care of these people and the families are often not able to do so", added Zapico, who concluded by highlighting "the work done by Paqui Lebrón, she is like a hammer, a constant worker, every day, every year, and she has managed to give this association significant stability and well, we continue to support her as much as we can, for another 20 years". 

356 members

Fortunately, more and more people are getting involved in the cause. Pedro Domínguez is a member and knows all about Alzheimer's disease. " My grandparents unfortunately died of this disease, I know the disease because I was affected by it up close. People who suffer from it unfortunately forget, but those of us who are present on a day-to-day basis are the ones who in the end see those things they forget, those memories, and that is what we miss". In relation to this dinner, Dominguez added that "it is always a good fortune to be present at these events and help in any way we can to associations like AFA, which does a job that in the end is not paid with money but with time and love for people who really need it, both patients themselves and the people around them who live this disease so closely. 

A night of emotions

As every year, the evening featured many emotional events. A video was projected with images and many memories of their two decades of struggle. A great gift raffle was organised thanks to the many companies that collaborated with the cause and one of the most emotional moments was when the volunteer from Mijas, Fina Arroyo Benítez, received a recognition for her 20 years of selfless dedication to AFA.

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