The Easter holidays are just around the corner and Tecnun students José Antonio Zelada, Ester Jové, Inés López, Leire Goenaga and Warren Dave Santiago feel they still have a lot to do to get the second edition of the solidarity degree program"Por otra Sonrisa, corre contra el cáncer" (For another smile, run against cancer) off the ground. The event will take place on 22, 23 and 24 April on the Playa de la Concha beach with three different routes and in aid of associationContra el Cáncer de Gipuzkoa.

However, it is possible to participate from any city by registering the kilometres covered in the Rock The Sport app. The team's international outreach means that the degree program is reaching different parts of the world and there are already registered runners from cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Pamplona and even the Philippines and Guatemala, as the students point out. "We are constantly spreading the word and asking people to come and help us," they say.

Fifteen engineering students are immersed in project and all agree that university should be an experience of training of the person. "Being helpful and concerned about the problems around us is an important part of this training. Those of us who take part are very aware of this and we don't mind investing this time in others, because we are also investing it in ourselves, in training ourselves in a proactive way", reasons Ester Jové.

Leire Goenaga and Inés López emphasise the learning process involved in organising an event of this nature: "We learn to work as a team, to take on responsibilities, to delegate them, to talk to sponsors, to carry out procedures such as management for permits... You take a lot of new things with you".

For the university students, degree program has a double function: to collaborate with the research of the disease and to transmit that you can help from where you are, in whatever way you can: "The degree program comes to tell you to think of your neighbour, of anyone who passes in front of you and whom you can help. That's what we are for. We are not here for ourselves", reflects José Antonio Zelada, one of the students behind the initiative.   

"Collaborating with association Contra el Cáncer de Gipuzkoa financial aid also helps us. Cancer is a reality that is unfortunately close to us and we want to make it visible that there are people who do not have the resources to pay for treatment", insists this young Guatemalan.

Jové maintains that "the simple gesture of signing up and running 3 kilometres is already a lot, even if you do it walking, because you are doing your bit. In cancer we need research because there are many people affected and a financial aid is always good". 

Warren Dave Santiago is known as the artist of group, as he is the student who has prepared the poster for degree program because, as he says, "I wanted to give back to others what I know how to do": "Doing it for a good cause is the best opportunity I can have".

"When we see the people running, the Concha Beach full of blue T-shirts... we can think: 'We didit ourselves'. And it's a cool and gratifying feeling," they say with a smile on their faces.

Of particular note is sponsorship de Alzola, Cuétara, Todo Todo supermarkets , the Cosmos academy in San Sebastián, as well as the La Perla Thalassotherapy centre , whose voucher will be raffled among the participants.