"The most important thing about this book is not the story of the disease, but the importance of the family in making the pain bearable with more joy," stresses the writer Marta Rivera de la Cruz. The Galician journalist is the author of "Los tres cumpleaños de los Pérez Fontán", the eighth book of the collection of stories "Historias de la Clínica", an initiative of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra. After interviewing the protagonist family, the author acknowledged that "witnessing pain is an experience that always touches the heart".

The writer wanted to emphasize that"the book does not tell a clinical case, nor a medical story... but explains what a family support network consists of when the disease arrives at a house. That is why I enjoyed listening to Dori's other children, her sisters-in-law, her mother... for me, it is a story of love and affection".

The core story of "Los tres cumpleaños de los Pérez Fontán" begins in 1986, when José María is diagnosed with a tumor in a very advanced stage, which, according to some doctors, he will not be able to survive. But Chano and Dori, the patient's parents, set out in search of a second chance for their son and visit Clínica Universidad de Navarra. After going to enquiry to see several doctors, Dr. Berián, the Clinic's nephrologist, offers him the correct diagnosis and treatment: a Wilms' tumor from which José María is currently cured.

"With José María's status already overcome, only two years ago, the sky of the Pérez Fontán family becomes cloudy again. Dori fell ill and the diagnosis was very serious: a diffuse large cell lymphoma that required a bone marrow transplant. After her first experience at the Clinic, they decided to trust their professionals again and today we can see that Dori is doing very well," says Dr. Carlos Panizo, manager , who is in charge of her treatment and follow-up. The doctor thanked the Pérez Fontán family "for the trust you have placed in us from the beginning".

For us the Clinic is everything," says Dori. They cured my son when it seemed impossible to do so. In no hospital did they know about his disease, Wilms' tumor, and Dr. Berián at the Clinic was an expert...". Adoración also recalls how 26 years later she was the one who had to go to the hospital. "I had a diffuse large cell lymphoma and it also seems to have been cured. The truth is that for me the Clínica is the best center in the world."

The three birthdays of the Pérez Fontán family

Marta Rivera de la Cruz reveals that she chose as degree scroll "The three birthdays of the Pérez Fontán family" because of the coincidence of three important events for the family on the same date: January 22. That day is José María's birthday, "but it is also the day he undergoes surgery for Wilms' tumor, as well asthe day on which his mother, Dori,undergoes an autologous bone marrow transplant. That's why I say that they are like three birthdays, because deep down each one of them has been born twice," the writer says.

José Andrés Gómez Cantero, director general of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, thanked Dori and José Mª for sharing their story of struggle and overcoming. He recalled that the collection of stories "Historias de la Clínica" "is not intended to be a compilation of medical cases but a tribute to all our patients, to the example they offer of fortitude and the fact that despite suffering from the disease they know how to get the best out of themselves". At final, a tribute to the patient.