In Catalonia, people living with myasthenia gravis are still facing diagnostic delays and uneven access to treatment, according to the Spanish Myasthenia Association, AMES. The group marked World Myasthenia Day on 2 June by warning that the rare neuromuscular disease remains poorly understood.
Myasthenia gravis affects the communication between nerves and muscles. It can cause fluctuating weakness and fatigue, and may affect eating, speaking, seeing and breathing. AMES says the autoimmune form of the disease happens when the body's immune system attacks the neuromuscular connection.
The association says a lack of public awareness often means symptoms are overlooked or mistaken for something else, which can delay diagnosis and early treatment. AMES argues that better knowledge of the condition is needed to improve care and protect quality of life for patients.
Raquel Pardo, president of AMES, said myasthenia is still a very unknown, invisible and fluctuating disease. She said the group wants more research, earlier diagnoses and true territorial equity in access to new treatments, services and disability recognition. Mireia Sais, the new AMES Catalonia delegate from Ventalló, said the condition is not always visible, which can leave patients feeling misunderstood or questioned.
AMES says it supports patients and families through medical and emotional advice, research, support groups and visibility campaigns. One of its actions is the green illumination of public buildings on 2 June, and Ventalló joined the initiative for the first time last summer. The association also launched its “Unknown Protagonists” campaign for World Myasthenia Day, using exhibitions, audiovisual material and public events to show the daily effort involved in routine tasks.
The campaign includes actions across Spain, including the green lighting of more than a hundred buildings and monuments. AMES, a public utility entity active since 2009, says it will continue to press for earlier diagnosis and fairer access to treatment across Catalonia and Spain. An exhibition organised by the group was on display at Bellvitge University Hospital until 29 May 2026 and will travel to Figueres after the summer. More Catalonia news
