Isabel Mestres, CEO of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Do you talk to your neighbor on a flight, or do you pray for peace and silence?
When I was younger, I liked talking. I’d tell strangers where I was heading, ask for travel tips, and dream about the adventures (and love stories) that awaited. Then I became a parent, and flying turned into sacred me time: a movie, a glass of wine, and silence, please! But in the past seven years, planes have mostly meant work, preparing meetings, reviewing papers, and falling asleep easily!
Until recently. Somewhere between Geneva and New York, the person sitting next to me was determined to chat. And while airplane conversations are a bit of a lottery, this time I struck gold; he was leading a fascinating organization, Geneva Call, heading to make statements at UNGA. His story was inspiring and reminded me how many people are traveling with purpose, carrying ideas, missions, and commitments with the hope of changing lives.
That’s what transportation really is: not just movement, but connection, a bridge that carries knowledge, compassion, and expertise across borders.
That’s why I’m so excited to announce our new partnership between C/Can and the airline, Air Europa. Over the next three years, Air Europa will fund flights for hundreds of incredible professionals working with C/Can, doctors, nurses, and health experts, to travel across continents to learn, share, and strengthen cancer care in the cities that need it most, because where you live should not define the care you receive.
Sometimes, the person sitting quietly next to you isn’t just another passenger; they might be on their way to changing lives.
Read the partnership announcement here.
Your turn: Who’s been the most incredible person you’ve ever met on a plane? Or are you firmly on team ‘noise-canceling’ ?”
More posts featuring Isabel Mestres on OncoDaily.