The triathlete Diego Méntrida has started a crowdfounding campaign to help his brother Carlos to become known about West Syndrome.
Méntrida was the protagonist of one of the gestures of the year during the Santander Triathlon in which he let pass a rival who was beating him but, who got confused on the last straight. That gesture was applauded by the whole world, since, if it had not occurred, Diego Méntrida I would have jumped to the podium with his idol Javier Gómez Noya.
Diego Méntrida wants to help his brother through “Running for West”
The triathlete Diego Méntrida He wants to raise funds to help his little brother Carlos to become better known for West Syndrome, the disease he suffers from. Running for West is a solidarity race that started on January 1 and will continue until the 31st.
Through “Running for West” those who wish to join the Race can sign up. They must fill in the basic data (name and surname, email and name for the number) and make a solidarity contribution between 10 and 100 euros to the West Syndrome Foundation to run.
What are the symptoms of West Syndrome?
West Syndrome or Infantile Spasms is a disease that was discovered by the British scientist William James West in 1841. This disease begins during the first year of life and affects 4,000 – 6,000 children annually.
West Syndrome has three main symptoms called the electroclinical triad, although one of the three may not appear in the patient, according to the Living with Epilepsy portal.
The symptoms that appear in a person who has West Syndrome are:
- Sudden contractions that occur in the nodules of the neck, trunk and extremities. They occur on both sides of the body and symmetrically.
- Delay in psychomotor development that can lead to loss of acquired skills.
- Recording of continuous, unsynchronized high voltage wave discharges in both hemispheres of the brain.
Patient associations warn that it is important to make an early diagnosis because they estimate that only 10% of patients can lead a normal life.
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Diego Méntrida’s gesture had a planetary recognition
Méntrida’s gesture in the Santander Triathlon had a lot of repercussion in the world of sports and in that of celebrities. So much so that Will Smith himself praised the athlete’s gesture. In the video presenting this challenge, Diego Méntrida recognizes that the most important challenge of his life is to give visibility to his brother Carlos’ illness.
The objective of this challenge is to give visibility to West Syndrome and improve the quality of life since they are dependent 24 hours a day, according to Diego Méntrida.
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