Author name: amanda.btlr

I was invited to attend the premiere of Sacar Pecho-Del Viaje Con El Miedo, Standing Tall – The Journey With Fear,  at the Teatro Principal de Palma earlier this month— a deeply moving documentary filmed here in Mallorca. This film features eight women diagnosed with breast cancer, sharing their stories, fears, and triumphs. The experience carried extra weight for me, because one of the protagonists, Sheriellane Pascua, is the Pilipino wife of my late father’s caregiver. They both cared for my father tenderly for the last few years of his life. Seeing Sheriellane on screen, speaking of her experiences, was beautiful, powerful and deeply emotive. Sacar Pecho, directed by Rubén Capilla and Álex Rodríguez and produced by Vivir del Cuento Comunicació, has was submitted for the Balearic Talent Award at the Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest. More than just a film; it’s a piece of cinematic medicine for anyone who has heard the words, “You have breast cancer.” Its goal is to humanise medicine, raise awareness, and offer solidarity to those facing this disease — with around 800 women diagnosed annually here in the Balearic Islands. The film follows Ana, Mari Pau, Joana, Bel, Mar, Eva, Sheriellane, and Leire — women from very different backgrounds united by one shared journey. Their path spans the rugged beauty of Mallorca’s Serra de Tramuntana, taking them along the GR221 from Pollensa to Andratx over several days. More than hiking, more than camaraderie, the journey becomes a metaphor for the inner landscape of confronting fear, pain, and uncertainty. Oncologist Dr. Antònia Perelló shared how the protagonists open their hearts about the moment of diagnosis, the fear, the support, the setbacks and the rallies. The film reminds us that breast cancer is one of the most common health issues affecting women: in the Balearic Islands, roughly 800 yearly diagnoses; in Spain, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in their lifetime. President Llorenç Galmés from the Consell de Mallorca described it as “the clear and courageous voice of women who reveal pain but also strength, life, dignity.” It underscores values that matter deeply: transparency in medicine, emotional authenticity, and the healing power of nature, friendship and movement. Innovations & Hope in Treatment While hearing these stories — especially Sheriellane’s, diagnosed at just 27 and contending with recurrence — reminded me how ruthless breast cancer can be, and thankfully, the remarkable progress in treatment. Cutting-edge advances such as hormone therapies, immunotherapies, and personalised medicine (guided by genetic and molecular profiling) are making care more effective while reducing side effects. Survival rates for early-stage breast cancer are now over 90% at five years, thanks to earlier detection, improved imaging, and systemic therapies. These advances mean breast cancer is increasingly seen not just as a battle to endure, but as a challenge that many overcome and live beyond — with quality, purpose, and hope. Sheriellane’s Story: From Patient to Thriver Sheriellane’s presence in the documentary touched me deeply, but her own words capture her journey best: “I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 27 while living in Norway. When I later moved to Mallorca to join my fiancé, I suffered a relapse in 2018 when it metastasized into my bone, particularly my sternum. I began treatment through the Spanish national health system, which was so incredible – I shudder to think what might have happened had I still been living in the Philippines. I was also blessed with support by what I firmly believe was divine intervention, from an integrative medical centre, Cell Medicum, where I received therapies to boost my immune system between chemotherapy sessions. This helped me regain enough vitality to find a job while applying for Spanish residency, something for which I will be eternally grateful. Now, 10 years on at 37, I’m not just surviving but thriving. My journey has been about resilience, finding strength in vulnerability, and proving that life can still be full of purpose and joy, despite the challenges.” She adds: “My story isn’t about fighting cancer, it’s about living fully with it. Cancer didn’t take away my dreams — it gave me a louder voice to remind others: don’t wait for life to be perfect to celebrate it. Many people feel silenced by illness. I chose to speak up — through this documentary, social media, and writing — turning what could have been private suffering into public empowerment.” Sheriellane also shared that the documentary is currently nominated at the Atlàntida Film Festival. While the producers have not yet confirmed its next screenings, there is hope it will soon reach other platforms — with English subtitles — so it can inspire an even wider audience. Her most moving words came when she reflected on walking in the Serra de Tramuntana with the other women: “I felt an incredible mix of peace and power. Surrounded by the striking beauty of nature and sisterhood, it was as if the mountains carried our pain but also amplified our strength. In that moment, I wasn’t just a cancer patient — I was a thriver, walking with hope, resilience, and connection.” I was immensely proud of Sheriellane. Her courage at such a young age, her vulnerability and resilience, are inspiring. And thankfully, treatments have improved enormously in recent years. More precision, less invasive techniques, earlier detection — all leading to longer survival, fewer side-effects, and better quality of life. The Takeaway Sacar Pecho is more than a documentary – it’s a rallying cry, a comfort, a lifeline. It shows that a diagnosis doesn’t mean surrender; there is community, there is nature, there is movement; and above all, there is hope. To any woman reading this who is on this journey, or knows someone who is: you are not alone. The path may be rugged, but it is possible to stand tall, to heal, and to live — and live well. Because with each year of medical innovation, each shared story, and each act of compassion, we move closer toward a

In the heart of Palma’s old town, behind centuries-old stone walls, sits Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden—a luxury five-star hotel with a beautiful walled garden, where its timeless atmosphere has been suspended in space by the enchanting exhibition of The Yeti’s Garden by Korean artist Miju Lee. Invited to meet PR Manager Monica Cerdá Gómez and Gallery Assistant Abril Furcada I entered the cobbled courtyard and was immediately greeted by a whimsical sculpture: a Yeti, holding a flower, stepping timidly into the world. This gentle yeti is the central figure of Lee’s first exhibition in Spain, a collaboration with Madrid gallery owner Marc Biblioni, who discovered the artist five years ago through social networks. Lee’s path into art was anything but conventional. Originally trained as an industrial designer, she abandoned that career to follow her intuition, moving to Barcelona to study ceramics. It was there she shaped her distinctive voice—fusing Western abstraction with East Asian sensibility. The result is a pictorial language where ambiguity, softness, and fragility aren’t weaknesses, but rather luminous symbols of inner strength. At Can Bordoy, this delicate tension between vulnerability and resilience is embodied in the Yeti—a shy, lumpy figure crouched in stillness, expressionless yet quietly resilient. For Lee, the Yeti is an alter ego, inspired by her childhood dreams. In Himalayan cultures, the Yeti is a guardian spirit, a supernatural force connected to the untamed wilderness and revered as a protector of sacred lands. In Lee’s work, it becomes something even more intimate: a guide through memory, imagination, and the most vulnerable corners of the self. The exhibition, composed of twelve sculptures and paintings, carries viewers into a dreamlike world, where reality and reverie dissolve into one another. In Underwater, positioned on the stairwell beneath the hotel’s rooftop pool, rippling light reflections spill across the canvas, echoing its theme: that life is rarely as it seems on the surface, and that deeper truths reveal themselves only when we dare to look beneath the surface. Another piece, Fuego – The End of the Dream, depicts the Yeti within a mirror overlooking the Hotel’s bar, quietly reminding us of endings that seed new beginnings. Other key elements in Lee’s symbology, such as mushrooms and butterflies, evoke concepts such as ideas or delicacy, with the Yeti being the guide of her world. What struck me most was how seamlessly Lee’s work harmonised with Can Bordoy itself. The hotel already blurs past and present, offering guests a retreat into stillness and beauty. Likewise, Lee’s yetis invite us to pause, to embrace the unknown, to hold space for tenderness in a world that often demands a harsher reality. This exhibition also reflects a refreshing trend in the art world: moving artworks beyond the white walls of galleries and into spaces that breathe with life. Experiencing art in such an environment—surrounded by gardens, stone arches, and the hum of quiet conversations—changes how we receive it. It feels personal, almost like stepping into a friend’s home, where art is lived with rather than simply observed. For those seeking an experience that nurtures both the senses and the spirit, The Yeti’s Garden offers more than visual delight. It is a meditation on vulnerability as beauty, on silence as strength, on the quiet resilience that so often goes unnoticed in our daily lives. Pair it with a cocktail at the bar, or a gastronomic meal at Botànic, the hotel’s ‘plant forward’ organic garden restaurant, and the experience becomes nourishment for both body and soul. If you find yourself in Palma before October 31, don’t miss the chance to wander into Miju Lee’s world. Like the Yeti itself, the exhibition does not dictate meaning—it suggests, it whispers, it leaves room for the magical. Sometimes, the most profound discoveries lie not in what we are told, but in what we are invited to imagine. The Yeti’s Garden by Miju Lee📍 Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden, Forn de la Gloria 14, Palma de Mallorca🗓 Open daily until October 31* Free admission DM Amanda if you have a wellness story to share, or follow Amanda on IG @amandabmallorca for all things wellness in Mallorca.

There are moments in life that shift the course of everything that follows. For Danny Veerman, founder of Soul Breath Mallorca, that moment came on March 17, 2023, when his daughter Sarah passed away in Austria. Faced with unbearable grief, he found himself standing on the edge of despair—until a quiet inner voice urged him to simply breathe. That simple act became his anchor. For months afterward, Danny practiced conscious connected breathing every day. It became both an outlet for his pain and a place of solace. Through tears, screams, and the raw ache of loss, he also found moments of calm and even bliss. Breathwork, which he had first encountered years earlier at an Ayahuasca retreat, revealed itself as not just a tool but a lifeline. As he now says with quiet certainty: “My breathwork saved my life.” From Lawyer to Healer Danny’s path to this work has been anything but linear. For three decades he lived and worked as a lawyer in the Netherlands, until in 2010 he decided to step away from courtroom battles and train as a mediator. The shift from adversarial argument to collaborative resolution awakened a new interest: the psychology of conflict. By 2016, he had trained as a coach, eventually focusing on couples counselling. Music, too, was always part of his life—he played in bands (The Love Handles and a JJ Cale tribute group) and loved spending time on his boat, Elvis, exploring the canals of Amsterdam. But when Sarah died, everything changed. Coaching, counselling, and music remained important, but grief and breathwork together redirected him toward a deeper mission. Breathwork as Transformation So what exactly is breathwork? At its core, it is the conscious use of breathing techniques to influence the nervous system. As Danny explains, “By breathing high in the chest you can induce your parasympathetic nervous system, releasing adrenaline and alertness. By breathing slowly, with long out-breaths, you calm the body. Most people don’t realise they carry this powerful tool within them.” In the conscious connected breathing sessions he now facilitates, Danny guides people into a state where the thinking mind quiets and the subconscious emerges. Here, memories and emotions long stored in the body can be accessed, processed, and released. The results can be profound: breakthroughs in personal healing, emotional release, or simply deep relaxation. Unlike traditional talk therapy, breathwork is somatic—working with the body rather than just cognition. “When you talk, the conscious mind is at work, and people sometimes hide behind answers they think are acceptable,” Danny explains. “Breathwork bypasses that filter, activating the subconscious where the real stories are stored.” A Mission Shaped by Loss Danny has trained in 9D Breathwork, a transformative practice combining music, guidance, and multi-sensory stimulation over 90 minutes. His sessions attract people from all walks of life: hotel owners, yacht crew, airline pilots, young seekers, and even other breathwork teachers. Some arrive seeking healing from trauma or grief, others simply curious, and many leave with a sense of release they didn’t expect. His mission, born from personal tragedy, is clear: “I want to dedicate my life to helping people connect with others and (re)connect with themselves.” This includes his coaching work, often weaving breathwork into couples counselling. For those who struggle to express emotions, a breathwork session before coaching can open doors that talking alone cannot. Danny believes passionately that awareness of breath should begin in childhood. Having lived with asthma and years of heavy medication, he often wonders how his life might have been different if a breath coach had guided him early on. “It would be amazing if parents paid attention to how their children breathe,” he says. Grief, Growth, and Guidance Danny doesn’t pretend grief is something to “get over.” Instead, he sees it as growth: “The grief for the loss of my daughter stays, but I have grown bigger.” He gives himself permission to speak of Sarah when he feels ready, and also permission not to answer when it is too much. It’s a balance of openness and self-protection, one he encourages others to honour. His guiding philosophy is written on his skin: Memento Mori and Amor Fati—“Remember, this life will end, so live it fully. Love your fate.” Sarah, he says, is with him every day, and he honours her by living joyfully and helping others find healing through breath. My Experience at Soul Breath Mallorca If you have ever wondered whether breathwork could help you, let me add my own experience. From the moment you arrive at Danny’s sanctuary in Mallorca, you feel held in a safe and healing space surrounded by nature and tranquility. His sessions are masterfully guided, combining music and technique to take you on a journey inward. What struck me most was how natural it felt to let go under his guidance. His own story—his pain, resilience, and wisdom—infuses the space with authenticity. In a single session, you begin to sense the possibility of release from old blockages, even from places within yourself you didn’t know existed. Danny’s 9D Breathwork is not just a technique—it is a healing art. For me, it was a profound journey back to a more authentic version of myself, lighter and clearer. The space held, the place and the overall experience truly feels like finding a little piece of heaven in Mallorca. 📌 Soul Breath MallorcaSessions with Danny Veerman🌐 www.soulbreathmallorca.com📧 danny@soulbreathmallorca.com📱 WhatsApp: +34 686 701 080Instagram: @dannyveermanbreathwork