Very Special Pilgrims from Alicante

Arnau, Arturo, Celia, Fernando, Jesús David, Marc, Nacho, and Silvia will embark on a genuine adventure starting this Friday: they will become pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Accompanied by their guides, they will cover nearly 100 kilometers on their adapted bicycles from Vigo to the Compostela Cathedral. What might seem like an odyssey for most people will be one of the greatest journeys of their lives for these young individuals, as they have severe multiple disabilities.

However, their spirit of perseverance and the support of their companions will allow them to experience the wonders of the Xacobean route. They will traverse three stages over three days, finally arriving at the Plaza del Obradoiro on Sunday.

They will make the journey on adapted bicycles provided by the Lukas Foundation, well-known in Sant Joan d'Alacant, where locals often see them riding through streets and squares or along Muchavista beach. These special vehicles are a fantastic adaptive recreational and sports resource that offers multiple therapeutic benefits in cognitive and motor areas for people with disabilities.

The Lukas Foundation has been preparing this trip carefully and with great enthusiasm for weeks. They are doing so with the help of professionals like Arma Kleinepier, a specialist in organizing bicycle routes, and Javier Pitillas, head of Discamino, a Vigo-based association that has been assisting pilgrims with special needs for 15 years. They will also have the collaboration of Ford, which will provide an E-Transit van and three volunteers.

The adventure began a few days before the Camino. First, the adapted bicycles from the Lukas Foundation arrived in Galicia from Sant Joan d'Alacant, where the FLK Center is located, along with other essential materials for attending to their users. They were transported in a van from the Anneke Residence thanks to Lisette and Marino, who not only brought them there but also offered indispensable logistical support throughout all stages of the journey.

By Thursday, all eight participants had arrived one by one—by train, car, or plane—along with their families and companions. Most are staying at the Briallos Hostel, which is familiar with the special needs of people with disabilities and always ready to provide all necessary accommodations.

This Friday marks the start of the Camino for these eight young people along with their companions and full logistical support. The first stage will take them from Vigo to Pontevedra (28 km); the second from Pontevedra to Valga (34 km); and the third and final stage from Valga to Santiago de Compostela (34 km), completing this grand adventure on Sunday.