The
OLIVE PRESS
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MALLORCA
Your expat
voice in Spain
Vol. 4 Issue 90 www.theolivepress.es October 2nd - October 15th 2020
ISLAND HOPE: Move to €35m Andratx villa could aid Schumacher’s recovery
Road to recovery
MICHAEL Schumacher has been reportedly moved to a villa in Mallorca to continue his recovery. The property was previously owned by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and purchased for €35 million by Schumacher’s wife Corinna in 2017. Situated in the exclusive area of Puerto de Andratx, the luxury villa lies in the gated Las Brisas estate. The complex covers 15,000 square metres, boasting two swimming pools, a helipad, gym, expansive garden and stunning western views over the Balearic Sea. According to Diario de Mallorca, the seven-time world champion was taken to their Spanish holiday home to recover from injuries sustained from his skiing accident in 2013. Although updates surrounding his health have been rare, the ex-wife of Formula 1 boss and former QPR co-owner Flavio Briatore, Elisabetta Gregoraci, recently made comments on his
condition. Speaking on the Italian version of Big Brother, Gregoraci said: “They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house.” She later added that ‘only three people can visit him and I know who they are’. It comes after reports were made that the Formula 1 legend was spending his winters at the multi-million euro mansion with round-the-clock carers.
Residents at the estate confirmed to a respected German magazine that they saw the racing legend arrive by helicopter last year. It is believed that Schumacher was also at the property for New Year’s celebrations and his 50th birthday on January 3. Schumacher won 91 races in a record-breaking F1 career before suffering a traumatic brain injury. He was reportedly receiving €50,000-a-week treatment from a team of 15 physicians and nurses at his Swiss home.
Best strokes Mega swim challenge by brave expat cancer sufferer
TOGETHER: Philip and Meg with daughters Farrah and Alexa
A BRITISH cancer patient has set himself the goal to swim the equivalent distance of the island’s coastline to raise money for Cancer Support Mallorca. Philip James Baber, 48, began the epic challenge last year and is well on his way to complete the mammoth 555km feat, with more than 320 km already achieved and his daughters Farrah and Alexa are set to join him for the final two kilometres at Son Serra. The fitness fanatic’s health took a turn for the unimaginable in May 2019 when he became crippled by an agonising lower back pain. After weeks of tests at Son Espases Hospital, Philip was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive strain of grade four cancer that had spread onto his spine and around his body. “The scan results were terrifying,” the Brit told the Olive Press. “The tumours littered my body and were growing, heading towards my spinal cord and vital organs - the odds were not looking good.” His wife Meg, who together run the successful poster art company Stick No Bills, was determined to do everything in her power to turn the situation around. They embarked on crash courses in neurology, neuroscience biochemistry and cellular biology, also making a radical change to Philip’s diet. “I started nailing a disgusting litre of organic celery juice every morning followed by all manner of supplements, preparing myself mentally for chemo,” he said. It was at that point, just as he was being fast tracked into the system at Son Espases, that Philip saw a stack of brochures from the Cancer Support Group, later setting up a meeting with their MBE award winning founder Krista Hyer. In this counselling session, Krista listened and assured the couple that the charity would help with all of Philip’s medical admin while also putting the pair in touch with nutritional and alternative therapy experts. Their invaluable support is one of the many reasons why Philip decided to embark on his sponsored swim for the charity. “I swim to rehabilitate and because the neuropathy in my hands and feet makes walking painful and picking things up cumbersome whereas in the water my body feels great,” explained the Brit.
By Isha Sesay
However, with life expectancy statistics for someone in the same condition as Philip being particularly dismal, he also swims for his daughters. He said: “I swim so I can one day walk my daughters up the aisle on their wedding days and that I can one day have the privilege of becoming a grandfather to their children.” If you would like to support Philip on his challenge, please visit his fundraising page on Facebook – ‘Philip’s fundraiser for Cancer Support Group, Mallorca’.
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