On Sunday 12th, El Gran Parque in Mijas was transformed into a space dedicated to personal care and medical prevention. To commemorate World Health Day, the Department of Health organised the ‘Mijas, with your wellbeing’ event, a family oriented occasion which, despite the wind and difficulties in setting up all the planned infrastructure, managed to bring together numerous residents. From 10:00 to 14:00 hours, attendees were able to take part in a series of activities designed to promote both physical and mental health.

 

The councillor for Health, Marco Cortés (PP), spoke very highly of the initiative and highlighted the wisdom of holding it outdoors, as “nature and health go hand in hand”. Cortés celebrated the “success of the turnout” and reminded everyone that “self-care should not be limited to a specific date because health is the most important thing we have; we must not ignore it or take it for granted”. In this regard, the councillor revealed his department’s intention to “launch more campaigns and workshops” over the coming months with this same objective.

A comprehensive approach

The programme addressed fundamental issues for everyday life, such as stress management, sleep hygiene and the importance of internal dialogue and social support. Associations in Mijas played a key role in developing these informative and practical sessions. Organisations such as the Spanish Association Against Cancer, AFA Mijas, the Lions Club, Fuenmijas, the Finnish association Fida International, Afesol and Sembrando Sonrisas were present, offering advice and a wide range of activities for young and old alike, because health is everyone’s business.

The president of Afesol, Francisco Cristian González, issued a warning about the challenges of the immediate future. He stated that “by 2030, the leading cause of disability in our society would be mental health, and one in four people would experience mental health problems at some point in their lives”. González emphasised the need to “work within the community network to address all the needs of our society, particularly those of young people”.

For its part, the Sembrando Sonrisas group provided practical tools to alleviate the pressures of modern life. Its yoga specialist, Mari Ángeles Jaenes, explained that the main objective is “to step back from that automatic mode and constant stress and devote more time to a space of calm”. Rosa Planelles, president of the association, highlighted the importance of offering “inclusive yoga for everyone, inclusding children with illnesses and people with disabilities”.

Public feedback

The range of activities, which included everything from visual experiments on the effects of tobacco to early detection tests, was very well received by those attending. Arturo Macías, a local resident and member of the Parkinson’s Association, was pleasantly surprised “by everything we’ve learnt at the different stands”. Other residents such as Álex Contreras and Marta Cortés stated that this type of event “helps society enormously and should be held more often” and that it is vital to “raise awareness among the public and provide important information on self-care”.

 

End of the event

Those participants who completed the circuit of activities were presented with a commemorative gift. The day, which also featured a healthy food stall hosted by Lorena’s Café, drew to a close with a dynamic fitness and flamenco fusion dance led by the group FitFlamc, thus rounding off a perfect day to remind everyone that health is not a one-day affair.

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