From radiotherapy to RADIO PATI: A journey of hope

In October, we interviewed Anna Bacardit (1993), the young protagonist of RADIO PATI, a musical initiative aimed at raising funds to support the Metastasis Challenge. Anna, a breast cancer patient with metastasis, is a vibrant and inspiring woman. In this interview, she tells us how RADIO PATI came about and shares her experience with us in an open, sincere and natural way.

Hi Anna! First of all, after having undergone surgery and radiotherapy sessions recently, we want to know how you are feeling.

I’m fine. This is my last week of medical leave and I have my final check-ups before returning to work.

Tell us about your illness.

I had surgery for a primary tumour on June 14, so that was four months ago yesterday. But this is a two-year story. Two years ago, when I was only 28, I was diagnosed with breast cancer that had metastasised to the liver and bones.
I started treatment with pills and, despite the adjustments that this type of treatment requires, I continued with my daily life. But when I had the operation, I felt that it was the first time during this process that I was being forced to put my life on hold. For me, the summer is about enjoying life: sunbathing, going to the beach, and going out. Then, suddenly, you are told that you have to spend July and August in the city.

How did you feel at the prospect of having to stay in the city for your recovery?

I eventually accepted the situation. The doctors told me the date they would operate and explained that I’d have to do rehabilitation and radiotherapy, but they didn’t provide specific dates or timelines. Everything would depend on how things went during the medical appointments. I couldn’t make plans, but that was precisely when RADIO PATI began to take shape.

Tell us how RADIO PATI came about and how your friend Elies fits in.

The day I was told I was having surgery, I felt frustrated and sad at the thought of missing out on the summer. My friend Elies jokingly suggested that we could organize some mini-concerts in my living room (the original seed of RADIO PATI), and that was as far as it went.
After the operation, I went to my mother's house to recover. By chance, one day we saw a story by an artist (Rémi Fa) who had some mini-songs and was asking, “What can I do with these mini-songs? Could I do a tour of Catalonia or a living room tour?” I told Elies about this, and we got in touch with this musician—that was before Radio Pati existed as such. His positive response was the signal we needed to move the project forward.

Does RADIO PATI have a motto?

“It matters.” This is a phrase that Elies started using many years ago when I was feeling discouraged by something. He would say, “Anna, what you do matters.”
This phrase could refer to work, the energy we have, what we have achieved, life, music, friendship…

Going back to the RADIO PATI concerts: it can’t have been easy to organize events like these…

Both Elies and I are linked to the world of music. I work in an audio-visual production company in the department that specializes in music videos, but before that, I had also worked in music and film festivals. So I have contacts. We’ve been going to concerts and festivals together for many years and we have many artist friends. Given our contacts, the RADIO PATI project made a lot of sense.

How many concerts did you think there would be?

We ended up holding 8 days of concerts on my mum’s patio. Things evolved little by little. At first, we thought the concerts would be two days a week. We tried to organize them in function of our availability and that of the artists who wanted to participate. The concerts were going to span the 3 weeks that the radiotherapy lasted.

Tell us about the audiences at the concerts…

The vast majority were friends or friends of friends. We started to share the initiative with our friends, but they also spread the word and then the artists' fans began to share it as well.

Why did you choose to support IRB Barcelona’s Metastasis Challenge?

When we were discussing which association we could support, I contacted Pilar Ros, a breast cancer patient who has collaborated with IRB Barcelona. Then I reached out to IRB Barcelona, ​​and on 11 July, Elies, my mother, a friend and I went to visit the facilities to learn more about their lines of cancer research and their fundraising campaign: the Metastasis Challenge.

Did you have a fundraising goal in mind?

We initially proposed about €5,000 because there were supposed to be 7 concerts and 30 or 40 people at each one. We recommended a donation of €15 per concert, and 2 musicians played at each one. In the end, we held 8 concerts and have now raised €13,200!

RADIO PATI caught the attention of the media. How do you explain that and have you reflected on it?

We didn't expect it at all. The news that comes out of the media is always negative, and suddenly a story about cancer in a young person appears - something we don't talk about much. Plus, the initiative is connected to friends, which is also nice. On top of that, we raised money and showed solidarity. I think the media has paid attention to us because it’s a story about people who have hope and joy for the future, not a story about fear. We have to talk about cancer naturally. We need to change fear of the word "cancer."

Do you think the RADIO PATI initiative will continue?

For now, we can confirm that, thanks to the success of the entire project, we’ve decided to organize a final celebration to end  the year. It will take place at the Casa Les Punxes, an iconic venue in Barcelona, on the morning of Saturday 14 December, and it will feature three or four artists. Once again, the sale of tickets will be to support the Metastasis Challenge. We’re thrilled to continue celebrating life, music, and research against metastasis once more.

As for the project’s future, we’ll see where it takes us. Elies and I crossed paths during our free time over the summer, at a moment when we were feeling very motivated, but it requires work and time. I’m already back at my job, and Elies has other projects as well. By the time the summer had ended, we needed a break because RADIO PATI had been so intense. That said, it could evolve into something like a record label for artists, or it might turn into an annual event. We’ll see where this adventure leads!

International Breast Cancer Day was held recently and is associated with the colour pink. What do you think about this?

I’m against it. Originally, a peach-coloured ribbon was associated with breast cancer, but then it was adopted by commercial brands and became pink to give it more visibility. Although it initially sought to raise awareness, over time it has been disconcerting because the disease has been simplified, infantilized, and commercialized. Cancer is anything but pink. It could be any colour but pink. It could even be white or blue because of the hours you spend in the hospital!
I think that the lack of colours or symbols for other types of cancer or other diseases suggests that the same effort has not been made to raise awareness or funds for them.

If you had to send a message about research or a reflection on the role of research, what would it be?

I’m still here thanks to treatments made possible through research, which have allowed me to keep living.
Regarding basic research, such as that carried out at IRB Barcelona, ​​to know which treatment will work, you first have to understand how the body works at a cellular level.

What would you say to people who are considering organizing a fundraising initiative or donating to support the cancer research carried out at IRB Barcelona?

Do it! All initiatives can help raise funds and promote awareness of the need for research into this disease. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to ensure that the organization receiving the funds devotes them entirely to research and that no brand or company takes a percentage of what people donate. IRB Barcelona is an excellent centre with which to collaborate due to its dedication to understanding how the body and diseases work, as well as the ease with which an online campaign can be set up.