Some storms strike without warning. They arrive silently, on an ordinary January day, and in an instant, they change everything. Until 2023, Sergio's life was that of a healthy child with a bright future. But undetected sinusitis unleashed an internal hurricane, encephalitis, that caused severe brain damage and plunged him into a new and unfamiliar universe.

Now 13, Sergio's daily life is a constant battle, a journey of small steps and major obstacles. At the centre of that universe, holding everything together, is his mother, Patricia Moreno, a true courage mother. "He can move, but what's not working is the engine", explains Patricia with a strength that is overwhelming.

That powerful and painful metaphor defines Sergio’s current reality. His body remembers how to walk, but his brain, damaged in the hypothalamus, sometimes fails to find the switch to send the command. The wheelchair is the most visible consequence, but the injury runs deeper: it affects his short-term memory, his speech, and even his ability to regulate his own body temperature.

The infection was silent and hard to access. It took two months in hospital and a sea of antibiotics to overcome. The enemy left, but it left behind a battlefield.

A pause in the battle

But even in the toughest fights, rays of light can break through. One of them came thanks to an alternative therapy in Barcelona with Dr Manuel Gálvez. "He improved so much", recalls Patricia. Sergio began to walk again, holding onto his walker, and his responses became sharper. It was a flicker of hope, a sign that the boy he once was is still there, waiting.

However, the road is long. "The therapy works, let's say it clears the area, but unfortunately, waste material keeps building up inside his skull, and that affects him", says his mother.

The support of Mijas

The heat, a simple cold... anything can blur what has been gained. That's why, in September, they have to return to Barcelona. But going back means facing another titanic effort. Each therapy session costs around 220 euros, not including travel and accommodation, an economic mountain that no family can climb alone. This is where the story of Sergio and Patricia becomes the story of an entire community. The Sembrando Sonrisas association, led by its president Rosa Planelles, was the first to lend a hand.

"We see her daily struggle, the love she has for her son, and we see that she needs help", says Planelles, whose association already organised a charity tournament in March this year. Despite the rain that day, the event raised enough funds to cover their first trip.

Now, a new wave of support has emerged, a balm for the soul. Local artist Abraham Valle has written a song, a hymn to resilience, entitled 'Madre coraje' (Mother Courage). The lyrics are a collective embrace set to music: "You are the courageous mother of a being of light / who just by looking at you makes you happy / even though the whole journey may feel like a ‘cross’ / we will always stand up for you".

"With this song", Rosa explains, “we simply want her to know that there are many, many people, most of them anonymous, who are standing by her side. It is the voice of a town whispering to one of its heroines that, in this battle, she will never walk alone.

How to help

For anyone wishing to support Sergio's cause, Planelles explained the available ways to get involved.  Those interested can contact Sergio's mother directly via the Facebook page 'La sonrisa de Sergio' (Sergio's smile). The Sembrando Sonrisas association is also coordinating support and providing information about the condition and available therapies through its own website and Facebook page.