Sónia Cancela is an operating theatre nurse at Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim for 20 years now and dedicates a part of her free time supporting the community, through the humanitarian association Real Associação Humanitária, of the volunteer firefighters of the city. It was wearing the uniform and full equipment of firefighter that she won, last September 28, the event “Escadórios da Humanidade”, that tests the physical resistance of the participants. The “Escadórios da Humanidade” competition: Consists in climbing the 566 steps of Bom Jesus do Monte stairway, wearing a full urban personal protection equipment with a total weight of 25 kg and including a fire jacket, trousers, boots, balaclava, gloves, helmet and open circuit insulating respiratory apparatus. It is organized every year, attracting hundreds of Portuguese and foreigner firefighters. This year, 1,600 firefighters participated, coming from Portugal, Spain, France, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Brazil, Cape Verde and Venezuela. It is one of the few existing competitions for firefighters, aiming to test their physical and mental capacity in a natural environment outdoors. Its simplicity and complexity at the same time have contributed to place it among the major events of the kind in the Iberian Peninsula. The Hospital da Luz nurse was the fastest in the women overall. Congratulations , Sónia Cancela! The Real Associação Humanitária dos Bombeiros Voluntários da Póvoa de Varzim is one of the associations that Hospital da Luz has protocols with, within a strategy of support to the community in access to healthcare, establishing special rates for members, staff and families. But this is also a way to acknowledge the work performed daily by firefighters, voluntarily and generously, for the benefit of the community. We know that we can count on them . They can also count with Hospital da Luz! Photo: Rui Vilas
