A time with Núria – Desirée Segarra’s smile – 02/10/2016 – A time with Nuria

As I read on the medical pages, “cerebral palsy describes a group of disorders of psychomotor development, which cause a limitation in the person’s activity, which is attributed to problems in the development of the brain of the fetus or child. The psychomotor disorders of cerebral palsy are often associated with sensory, cognitive, communication and perception problems, and sometimes, behavioral disorders. Desirée Segarra has psychomotor and communication problems… but she has a sense of humor, a knack for self-improvement, and a fighting spirit far superior to many people I know. His condition does not prevent him from completing a higher cycle in Computer Science, nor from participating in a theater group, nor, for three years, from practicing sports: boccia, a type of adapted pétanque. Juan Ayala, has a lot to do with the latter; He is his coach at Employment Aspe Sports Club.

This has not been a typical interview and not because they joined the program a little late, (in the first few minutes me and Rafa “Pater” did a little review in a “bar chat”, nothing formal, of the news of the days last). It wasn’t a typical interview, he said, because Juan helped us understand Desirée’s words, so the pace was much slower than usual. Life, sometimes, does not go as fast as one would like. Desirée knows about it. And sometimes this “nerves” him a little. But slowing down doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, dear listener. Talking with him on the program helped us understand many things. The team members fell at his feet as he slowly revealed to us a part of his desires, dreams, experiences… his reality.

Desirée Segarra is an elite athlete, one of our representatives at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. If it is difficult to practice any sport other than professional soccer in the top leagues; if we complain about the abandonment suffered by a minority sport, for example that of women; Adapted sport is much more difficult to practice, and not because of the characteristics of the athletes, which, of course, also because of the very little help they receive from public bodies. Therefore, when we have called Desirée a “super athlete”, it is because only someone super can achieve the challenges she sets for herself, as she has. Did you know that there are regional, national and international adapted sports championships? Well, Desirée Segarra and Juan Ayala have promised us to return: they will bring us the next medal they will receive. Because he’s going to get a lot, I’m pretty sure of that.

And on December 3rd we will go see her at the Gran Teatro de Elche, to see her on stage with her band Rokuro Kubi.

A smile like Desirée’s is a gift. And I met him thanks to the radio. Last Thursday I was once again thankful to have a program like this. I invite you to get to know him. I present to you an extraordinary woman.