It is clear: with only seven years newly fulfilled, this incredible boy from Villanueva de Bogas (Toledo), with the biggest heart we have ever seen, ensures that he has already fulfilled all his dreams and that His greatest hope is to help others and play football.
His name is Iker and with so few years he has managed to parade, meet his favorite soccer player, help other children with health problems like him ... The last crusade in which he is now immersed: make early care a reality throughout Spain and not end at six, as usual.
And their parents, Beatriz and Ángel, will be by their side all the way, because the most important thing for them is "See my son happy and with a smile always".
We never stop learning
Beatriz, Iker's mother, is part of the platform of parents throughout Spain who have launched a campaign to request a law that guarantees early Social Security care for all: 'No child without therapy'.
They are a group of parents of children who have difficulties in their development (maturational delay, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome). Its objective: get children over six to continue receiving therapy for free.
Iker's mother explains that the differences between the autonomous communities are enormous: while in the Canary Islands this service does not exist, in Navarra, for example, it is offered until the age of 18, in Madrid there are such large waiting lists that they do not reach children…
Although there are associations that have been fighting for this Public Health service for years, it was a year ago when they decided to join all of Spain to fight together and file a petition with the Ministry of Health. And there was Iker, to deliver the 350,000 signatures, because does not understand that they are deprived of help that is fundamental to him. And so he lets him know:
"Why can't I keep going to therapy if I still can't walk?"Only a few days ago Beatriz and other parents of the Platform were in the Congress of Deputies exposing their needs.
Because according to Beatriz, this benefit is much more than physical therapy:
"It is a comprehensive care that includes everything the child and his parents may need, as speech therapists or psychologists. Families also need to show us how to help our children to be more independent, how to respond to their needs. "
In Babies and more "My son Dani has cerebral palsy and is a super happy child", the words of a mother who reach our hearts"Because while it is true that this measure is a Social Security benefit but not an obligation" and covers the years in which the child's brain has greater plasticity, Beatriz insists that:
"We never stop learning. In fact, Iker has begun to make more progress after five years, when he has realized the importance of doing things for himself, instead of going the easy way and letting the do for you (which was usual as a child ".
Families never give up
The union of these parents from all over Spain serves to give visibility to a necessary struggle, showing how dramatic their situation is.
Because, as Beatriz says, children still need to move forward and after turning six (before in some Communities), only very limited sessions remain in public schools of hearing and language (which is not speech therapy) and physiotherapy (without means). Therefore, It is the family that has to cope with the multiple expenses of the therapies.
"We collect caps, we do festivals, crowdfunding campaigns, Iker's birthday gifts are money and everything that comes into the house is for him. So we have, so we spend on his private treatments at the Nipace Foundation of Guadalajara, because in Toledo we don't we have a center where to go. That means three hours on the road and another two or three (depending on therapy) waiting there for Iker. "
But according to Beatriz, the effort is worth it: Iker is able to stand up to go to the bathroom or get dressed, eat alone, and even handle the Play control or kick a ball, even with a walker.
There is also the emotional part:
"When they achieve goals they find themselves more capable and more confident in themselves, they improve their self-esteem."Who is Iker?
He was born premature, in the 31st week of gestation and suffered a lack of oxygen, although it is not known whether before delivery, during or after. He was hospitalized for a month before he could go home and it was at that time that his parents were told that he was suffering from cerebral palsy, but that they did not know how much it would affect him.
The lesion is very small, but the consequences are very important. Iker suffers spastic tetraparesis or what is the same: decreased mobility in arms and legs and muscle involvement They contract to overcome gravity.
Therefore, although it has no pronunciation problems, it does He needs to be taught how to position himself to breathe well so he can speak louder. Because to raise the tone you need to raise the muscle tone and that causes pain.
His muscles are so stiff, Beatriz explains, if they stretch a lot they suffer muscle spasms. And they are in continuous tension, since Iker's trunk is very soft, so he has to compensate the posture with the rest of the musculature.
This implies recognition of 90 percent disability.
But that does not seem to be an impediment for Iker to fight to achieve his goals and that these serve to make visible the problems that children like him have and thus be able to help them.
- He participated in a fashion show. To visualize the need to have changing tables adapted to children like him.
- With five years donated all his savings (50 euros) to Pepe, a Canarian child with the same age suffered a rare mitochondrial disease.
Thanks to the video he recorded asking people to help Pepe, donations multiplied. And the two little ones have become great friends.
- He is a great fan of Villarreal, specifically of Manu Triguero, with whom he has shared some meetings.
And also managed meet your favorite singer, Melendi and you don't miss his concerts in Madrid.
Iker with his idol Melendi, happy pic.twitter.com/OsuIc78NRi
- Beatriz herranz migu (@Beazarzu) July 8, 2017
How far will Iker and his parents go?
If you ask him how far he wants to go, he is clear in spite of being so small: "play in a soccer field, work, go out with friends ...". Normal, because it is not resigned. Tell your mother.
And it seems that he is on the right track, because he has friends in his school that help him get in and out of the classroom or even come home if Iker misses class, "so you don't fall behind".
Beatriz says that "Iker makes it easy to live with him", and that he has managed to unite his parents even more: "We got married after he was born from the beginning we have taken care of both of his care."
Because as she acknowledges:
"I am not so worried that Iker may not be able to walk, but That is happy with its characteristics within its environment and as independent as possible. That does not mean that he will not suffer at specific times, when his friends run and he cannot. You will have to learn to deal with these situations. "
"But I want him to do everything he can. So now I focus on making it accessible in his day to day. Concerts, institute, public buildings. Concrete things I can do."
And of course, it includes get Health to take care of physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and occupational therapy therapies that both Iker and other children need to learn and be more autonomous.
They also have another objective: to give a brother to Iker, because according to Beatriz "he has made us better people". We wish you soon fulfill your dreams.
We remain with these words of Beatriz, who reach the heart:
"Having a child with a disability is the best thing that has happened to me in life. I would only change it to avoid my son's suffering, but not for me."Photos | Assigned by the Iker family
