Eight-year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy asks Colombia’s president for help

“I am an intelligent boy who does not want to lose this opportunity. I also do not want to stop playing, and I do not want to stop walking.” With those words, eight-year-old Liam Santiago Ramos Garcera appealed directly to Colombia’s president for help.

Liam said he lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a serious genetic disease that causes progressive muscle deterioration. He described the falls he experiences and said the condition can also affect the heart and lungs.

His family is seeking the resources needed for him to return to Barcelona for an appointment scheduled for Sept. 25. Liam said the visit is expected to mark the start of a clinical trial. His family previously reported that he had been accepted as a candidate after beginning a medical process in Spain.

Liam’s mother, Yeimy Natali Garcera, said in a GoFundMe campaign that he received the diagnosis in September 2025. The campaign was created on March 19, 2026. On April 3, his parents shared video documenting part of the family’s trip to Spain, his hospital care and their return to Colombia.

Nueva EPS said it had received Liam’s medical records and supporting documents from his treatment in Spain. The health insurer said its medical team would review his history, conduct the necessary assessments, confirm the diagnosis and determine the care he requires. The appeal followed public attention around another child, Lucas, who had also sought help from the president through a video.

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I am an intelligent boy who does not want to lose this opportunity. I also do not want to stop playing, and I do not want to stop walking.