Rodrigo Salas at the Ordinary Session of the Mexican Academy of Faculties of Medicine

Rodrigo Salas at the Ordinary Session of the Mexican Academy of Faculties of Medicine

Rodrigo Salas, the President of Fundación GIST México, participated in the XVL Ordinary Session of the Mexican Academy of Faculties of Medicine on April 19, where he and more than 80 university representatives discussed the problem of forgetting rare diseases like GIST in the curricula.

It is estimated that in México about six to seven million people suffer a rare disease, according to Eurordis. This number rises in Europe to more than 30 million. It is also estimated that about 2,000 people develop GIST in México each year, and most of them aren’t diagnosed.

In order to develop new actions, Fundación GIST México has created new alliances with other organizations of rare diseases, like Proyecto Pide un Deseo México IAP, and has participated in diverse activities with the universities. One example of this is the meeting with directors of faculties last April; the main objective was to create awareness and also ask the directors to include in their syllabi rare diseases like GIST. Mr. Salas also invited them to participate in the campaign “Que todo México conozca el GIST,” or “All México knows about GIST,” which includes workshops and even a contest for the students. The first problem for rare diseases and GIST patients, in México and in Latin America, is to get an accurate diagnosis; by working with students and universities, Fundación GIST México hopes to end this serious problem.