An unforgettable day at Coverciano, the home of Italian football, where several children living with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) had the chance to visit the Italian Football Museum and watch the Azzurri’s training session, led by head coach Silvio Baldini. They were accompanied by their carers, often family members who support them on a daily basis.

The day brought joy and light-heartedness to the children, thanks to the excitement of being close to the national team players. It was made possible in part thanks to the 18th International Symposium on Mucopolysaccharidoses and Related Lysosomal Diseases (www.mps2026.com), currently taking place in Florence until Sunday, 7 June. The global event brings together doctors, researchers, associations, and families from around the world to raise awareness of these rare conditions and explore new treatment possibilities, including the latest advances in genetics.

In total, 22 people (children and caregivers) were welcomed at Coverciano today, hosted with the support of AIMPS, the Italian Association for Mucopolysaccharidosis and related diseases.

Mucopolysaccharidoses are a group of rare genetic lysosomal storage disorders caused by missing or malfunctioning enzymes needed to break down mucopolysaccharides. When these enzymes don’t work properly, substances build up in the body over time, gradually damaging cells, tissues, and organs.

More information is available on the association’s website: aimps.it.