The Vila-real City Council distributes a total of 600 copies of ‘El torneo de su vida’ to the schools of Vila-real

The Vila-real City Council, through the Department of Health, has distributed a total of 600 copies in Valencian of ‘El torneo de su vida’ among the 15 schools in the town, the youth book written by Abrahán Guirao, president of the Conquistando Escalones Association and illustrated by Ismael Cabedo Romero, the author’s cousin who experienced the evolution of his illness firsthand.

Guirao, has thanked “enormously this gesture” since it has achieved a double objective. On the one hand, from the City Council “they have helped us so that the message of inclusiveness and friendship that is transmitted in this story reaches the schoolchildren of our town” and, on the other hand, “with the purchase of these books we continue to add funds to medical research seeking a cure for our rare disease, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 1F-D2 ”. And, Guirao points out that in these times of COVID, with the impossibility of holding events, “raising funds is much more difficult.”

On her side, the councilor for the area, Silvia Gómez, has indicated that it is “very important” to support the Association in this type of initiative since in this way it helps research “which now, more than ever, has been shown how important it is to invest more in R&D ”. Likewise, Gómez has assured that this book “transmits to our young values ​​such as self-improvement and, in addition, they will learn that life is not always rosy, that there are problems but that we must always push forward”.

From the Conquistando Escalones Association it is intended that ‘ El torneo de su vida’ becomes a book for the whole family in which children with disabilities are reflected, that those who do not have disabilities know how to empathize and so that parents understand how act in such situations. For this reason, there is talk of disability and inclusiveness “without heroics or paternalism”, says Guirao.

In addition, another of the objectives of ‘El torneo de su vida’ is for it to become one more way to fund medical research that seeks a cure for Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy 1F and HIV.

The book can be found on the Conquistando Escalones website as well as in bookstores, Amazon, La Casa del Libro, among others, thanks to the Editorial NPQ of Grupo Editorial Sargantana.

In addition to being published in Spanish and Valencian, ‘El torneo de su vida’ will be translated into English, Italian, Friulian, Hungarian, Slovenian and French – version already available in digital format – and these translations will be thanks to the selfless work of Cristòfol Tripiana; Elena Archiles from Clap Educació Activa; Jessica Furlan; Alessio Visintin and Lucina Deponte; ARLeF (Agjenzie Regjonâl pe lenghe Furlane); Gabriella Csuhai, Costanza Frandolic and Juan Luis Martín, Patrice and Françoise Ablain Duédal.

Likewise, Guirao wants to thank all the professionals who “voluntarily” have collaborated with this project: the writer and proofreader Ángel Gil Cheza has been in charge of the revisions; Vanesa Martínez Molina (psychologist); Altea Sellés Estevan (psychologist); Antonio Fernández Caballero (teacher); Miriam Ramos Guirao (teacher) and Mar¬ía Cubedo Fernández (teacher).

Synopsis ‘El torneo de su vida’

“What is it like to be a child who discovers that he has a degenerative disease? What are genetic mutations? What is it like to play soccer without being able to run like other children?

‘El torneo de su vida’ is an illustrated book that tells how its protagonist, Felipe, arrives at a new school and makes new friends while he notices that his body begins to transmit strange sensations and he begins to not be able to run or climb stairs like the rest . This illustrated book tells us about the adventures of a gang of boys and girls who create a strong bond and fight together towards an exciting purpose. It tells an exciting story about friendship, football and above all, inclusiveness. Disability away from messages of heroism or paternalism.

‘El torneo de su vida’ is a pinch in the stomach of those that make you cry, laugh and in general, get excited, feel.

All proceeds from its sale go to medical research on Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy 1F and HIV ”.