With the hosting organization ASPANION that renders service both to children with leukemia and to their parents in Valencia, Spain; 5 children with leukemia and a survivor youth from LÖSEV visited Valencia between June 1st -4th 2010.

On the occasion of the “9th International Week for Children with Leukemia” the group gained unforgettable memories having seen a new place, gotten acquaintances with a new culture and built new friendships.  

Children with leukemia visited their peers at “La FE Hospital” and gave them support by saying “We recovered, you will recover too!”

At the visit to the L’Oceanografic, the group rather enjoyed watching various marine habitats found in the Mediterranean, Tropical Seas, Polar Region, Red Sea and Oceans. The group was overwhelmed of seeing so many multicolored fishes, the white whales, sharks and especially the penguins which were swimming as if they were posing to us. The group also watched a wonderful show of the dolphins. At the end of the day, children cheerfully went down the 70 metre high slides in Gulliver Park– where the hair of a Gulliver tied down by ropes were made out in slides.

The group watched a 3D film at the “Hemisferic” and also had the chance to swim in Valencia.  The children tasted different sea-food and especially Valencia’s famous dish Paella at lunchtime in which the president of the Spanish Federation of Childhood Cancer Parents joined the group.

The Turkish group met with cancer survivor teenagers of ASPANION and had a wonderful time as they played games together and taught each other dances. The Turkish group taught the Valencian group how to belly dance, and afterwards, the Valencian teenagers showed them how to “Macarena.” Laughter never stopped and a strong friendship established between both countries’ youths.

On the last day, the group went on a special tour to see the agricultural area around the Alburfera Lake and the ecosystem; they observed the nature closely on a boat trip of the Albufera Lake.

We want to thank to Anadolu Sigorta for providing our travel insurances. With our endless gratitude to ASPANION and the Spanish Federation of Childhood Cancer Parents for hosting the group and making this trip a reality… Many thanks to all their volunteers for keeping their full interest on our children the whole time…