Almería makes visible the more than 40,000 people in the province diagnosed with rare diseases

The Almería City Council and the Poco Frecuente Foundation wanted to make visible people who are diagnosed with minority diseases, and they did so in the Plaza Vieja with exhibitors from the different associations and a workshop on Dance Movement Therapy. It is the preamble to their International Day, which this year they will be able to celebrate, on February 29, in which the municipal fountains will be illuminated in green.

The mayor of Almería, María del Mar Vázquez, accompanied by the Councilor for Family, Inclusion and Equality, Paola Laynez, attended the activities, which were held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The mayor stated that “each of the 7,000 different rare diseases only affect a small group of people, but overall there are about 3 million people in Spain and up to 300 million people around the world who live with a pathology.” low prevalence. In Almería there are 40,000 people diagnosed.” He develops this phrase by ensuring that “it is a group in a vulnerable situation, since a person with one of these pathologies waits an average of four years to obtain a diagnosis and in 20% of cases it takes more than 10 years or more years.” until the proper diagnosis is achieved.”

For this reason, the mayor explains, “it is essential to create a united voice that strongly generates awareness, visibility and a special sensitivity aimed at educating or re-educating society in general about these diseases.”

Throughout the morning, the Poco Frecuente Foundation, with the collaboration of the Family, Inclusion and Equality Area, raised awareness about the situation of these people and the need to invest more in research. The central activity has been an Inclusive Dance Therapy Workshop, carried out by the professional Valeria Leites. Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is a model of psychotherapeutic intervention that uses dance and movement in order to integrate the psychic, physical, emotional, spiritual and social levels of people, in pursuit of a healthier, more pleasant and full of meaning.

In addition, stands have been installed with the assistance and collaboration of the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases (FEDER), the Almería Cystic Fibrosis Association, and the Andalusian Turner Syndrome Association. Finally, on February 29, ‘Almería turns green’, with fountain lighting to make minority diseases visible on February 29.