Débora Martinelli presents memoir on breast cancer and athletic resilience

Athlete and justice of the peace Débora Martinelli presented her testimonial book, ‘El cáncer no es mala palabra’ (Cancer is not a bad word), at the Mercedes Medical Association. The work recounts her personal experience with a breast cancer diagnosis, her medical treatment, and her subsequent return to high-performance sports.

During the event, the President of the Honorable City Council, Mariana San Martín, presented Martinelli with a decree declaring the book to be of legislative interest, recognizing its cultural, social, and human value. The initiative was unanimously approved by the Vecinos por Mercedes bloc in late July.

Martinelli, a competitor in discus, shot put, and hammer throw, used athletic metaphors to describe her recovery process, comparing the discipline of training to the emotional strength required during chemotherapy. The presentation emphasized the importance of active prevention, regular medical check-ups, and breaking the social taboos surrounding the disease.