ARCHIVED - Jumilla joins the On The Move Against Cancer campaign with free weekly walks
ARCHIVED ARTICLE The national campaign has been launched by the Spanish Association for the Fight Against Cancer
Jumilla will host a series of weekly walks from Thursday April 21 until the end of July as part of a national campaign 'On The Move Against Cancer' launched by the Spanish Association for the Fight Against Cancer (AECC).
The Thursday walks will depart from Teatro Vico at 7.30pm and will be led by a volunteer. Each route will take approximatly an hour-and-a-half and will be accessible to anyone who wants to participate. All that's required are comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
President of the Jumilla board of the AECC, Dami Herrero explained: "The World Health Organisation recommends that adults dedicate at least 150 minutes a week to physical exercise, thus avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. In this way, together with a healthy diet, many diseases can be prevented. That is why we are joining this campaign, which will initially last for three months."
Anybody interested in taking part can sign up by calling 900 100 036, where they will be asked a couple of questions about their lifestyle and, after the campaign, will be called back for feedback.
T-shirts with the campaign slogan on have been designed by the AECC and will be on sale every Tuesday at the Mercado de Abastos in Jumilla for 6 euros each.
In addition to the three-month initiative, the AECC is encouraging the entire population to take "the other test" for the early detection of colon cancer, which can help to overcome this type of tumour in 90% of cases if it is detected in time.
"The 'other test' is the Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), which reduces short-term mortality by 30-35%.  It's a painless, non-invasive, hygienic, convenient and quick test that can detect colon cancer before it develops," explained the association which, in collaboration with the Official College of Pharmacists and the Pharmacy Network of the Region of Murcia, will carry out a campaign in chemists to encourage the population to participate in the screening.
Last year, 40,926 new cases of colon cancer were diagnosed in Spain, with the 50-69 age group being the most at risk. In the Region of Murcia, 1,115 new cases were diagnosed, of which 61.7% were in men and 38.3% in women.
In 2021, the incidence increased to 73 people per 100,000 inhabitants. According to the association, "this upturn may be due to factors such as the extension of the screening programme through the Stool Bleeding Test, and although screening is increasing, it is essential that people participate and we urge the regional government to increase awareness campaigns of this type."
Image: Ayuntamiento de Jumilla
Address
Plaza del Rollo, 1 30520 JUMILLA
Tel: 968 780237 / 663 300779
Loading
Oficina de Turismo Jumilla
The tourist office in the centre of Jumilla is easily found by driving straight into the centre of the town along the Avenida de Murcia and following the signposts. The tourist office is alongside the Parque de Don Albano Martínez Molina, where there are a number of parking spaces.
Jumilla, in the north of the Region of Murcia, has become internationally famous over recent decades due to the quality of the wines produced in the municipality, and wine tourism has begun to attract visitors from other parts of Spain and the rest of Europe.
The tourist office is happy to provide a range of maps and leaflets showing the different bodegas which can be visited within the municipality. Some of these form part of the Rutas del Vino de Jumilla, the Jumilla wine route, and can either be visited as a guided tour or sell their produce directly to the public.(see feed below for more details)
However, the town and the surrounding countryside have plenty of other attractions for visitors, and the popularity of Jumilla wines is leading more and more people to discover other facets of the tenth largest municipality in Spain.
These include the spectacular countryside and birdlife in the Sierra del Carche, the historic remains which range from cave paintings and a Roman mausoleum to the castle, the Iglesia de Santiago, the Town Hall and the Teatro Vico, and the gastronomy: rich stews are accompanied not only by the wines of the area but also by Jumilla pears, which also enjoy Denomination of Origin status.
Tourism in Jumilla is not as seasonal as it is in the coastal areas of the Region of Murcia, but the town is at its liveliest during the fiestas in Holy Week and the August Fair, which incorporates the grape harvest celebrations and the Moors and Christians parades.
The Altiplano of the Region of Murcia, which consists of the municipalities of Jumilla and Yecla, is only just over an hour by car from the Mar Menor, Cartagena, Mazarrón, Torrevieja and Alicante, and anyone wishing to visit real inland Spain and world-class wineries is advised to include Jumilla in their schedule.
Opening hours
Summer
Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm
Monday closed
Winter
Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm
Monday closed
Click for full information about visiting the Jumilla municipality and its wine bodegas: Jumilla section