Reading is usually an individual act, a moment of silence and intimacy. The Girem Full! campaign, however, proposes going a step further and turning this personal experience into a collective action with real impact, capable of contributing to improving the lives of patients and advancing new therapies against cancer. In its third edition, the initiative has exceeded its initial goal —set at 300,000 euros— and has raised 352,000 euros, which will be allocated to cancer research at the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS.
The third edition of this solidarity campaign has once again coincided with one of the most intense moments of the literary calendar in Catalonia: from March 21, World Poetry Day, to April 23, Sant Jordi's Day. A period in which books literally take to the streets and reading multiplies in schools, bookstores, and homes. Precisely during these dates, Girem Full! has managed to mobilize 45 schools, 97 bookstores, and thousands of readers of all ages who, thanks to the contributions of sponsors and participating companies, have made it possible to turn reading into direct support for cancer research.
The initiative is based on a simple mechanism: reading is transformed into reviews, and reviews into research. Thus, every time a reader shares the experience of a book read, that contribution activates a donation of 20 euros thanks to reading sponsors, that is, people or entities that commit to financing each participation. A simple but transformative mechanism that was recognized with the Culture Award from The New Barcelona Post within the framework of the Impulsa Cultura program of the Fundació Catalunya Cultura.
In its third edition, the campaign has collected 15,321 reviews which, once the initiative is over, will be converted into hours of scientific research. Specifically, this year's campaign will allow financing up to 2,500 hours of work at Clínic-IDIBAPS, a reference center with 25 groups dedicated to cancer research.
However, the project's promoters emphasize precisely that its collective value goes beyond the figures. "When the world of books, the educational community, and citizens unite with a common goal, we are capable of generating initiatives that go far beyond promoting reading and become a tangible contribution to society," explains Èric del Arco, president of the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya, one of the promoting entities.
Also from the educational field, the project's impact is highlighted. For Alba Brascó, pedagogical director of the Fundació Collserola, Girem Full! allows students to experience reading from another perspective: "It is a deeply enriching experience, because it helps them understand that an everyday gesture can have a direct social impact."
However, beyond the intangible impact, the funds raised also translate into concrete resources for research. Thus, the 328,000 euros raised in its two previous editions have already contributed to the hiring of research personnel, the acquisition of laboratory material, and the development of projects such as the creation of a CAR-T for HER2+ tumors, one of the most promising lines in immunotherapy developed at the Clínic.
Immunotherapy represents, in fact, one of the great innovations in oncology, since, instead of directly attacking the tumor, these therapies seek to activate the patient's immune system so that it is the patient themselves who recognizes and destroys cancer cells. In the case of CAR-T therapies, T cells are modified in the laboratory to give them the ability to identify and attack cancer with greater precision. In addition, in this area, the Clínic-IDIBAPS teams also work on other innovative strategies, such as therapies with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), which open new avenues for patients who do not respond to conventional treatments.
It is precisely in this type of therapies where the Girem Full! project is framed. With the 352,000 euros raised this year, the initiative will reinforce this line of research at Clínic-IDIBAPS and will contribute to accelerating the development of new treatments against cancer.
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