Copyright euroweeklynews
Torremolinos, Malaga, hosted a massive race of social unity on November 2, 2025, under the banner “No More Suicides: Prevention Is Our Goal.” Organised by Asociación Alhelí, the event was used to raise funds for suicide prevention and grief support and drew thousands to highlight a growing public health crisis in Spain. Event draws overwhelming community response The charity run ended up with thousands of participants flooding the streets of Torremolinos. Yolanda Verdugo, president of Asociación Alhelí, told a gathering of press that public turnout has exceeded all expectations. Founded in January 2016 and inspired by Verdugo’s personal loss of her mother, the Malaga-based charity marks a decade of pioneering support for those grieving loved ones lost to suicide. Alhelí, recognised with awards like Malaga Voluntaria 2018 and Becas Argal 2024, operates from Malaga, although their services stretch as far as Torremolinos as well, and also some more provincial towns in the Malaga Province. They can be reached on 645 688 890 or via emails psicologia@asociacionalheli.org and asociacionalhelimalaga@gmail.com. The group has expanded to include specialised help for suicide and gender violence cases. Understanding suicide: ending suffering, not life Verdugo stresses a critical insight often overlooked: “The person who commits suicide doesn’t want to die; they just want to stop suffering.” This perspective explains perfectly Alhelí’s work with “survivors”, as well as family and friends left behind, who struggle, naturally, with unique pain from unanswered goodbyes and societal stigma. Support for the charity went far beyond anyone’s expectations on the morning of Sunday, November 2. The I Carrera Soldaría No Más Suicidios was held on the Paseo Maritimo of Torremolinos with the participation of almost a thousand people. There was a tribute march, a 10-kilometre test and another 5-metre test, and also 1,000- and 300-metre runs for younger categories. Following this year’s first go at raising money in Torremolinos for this suicide prevention and support charity, it already appears to be a fixture on the Costa del Sol calendar.
