The entity Teidela, founded in 2021, has successfully extended its specialized home care service, known as Sadela, to 44 families in Tenerife. This development marks a significant milestone for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) on the island, who until recently lacked adequate institutional and associative support to face the disease.
ALS, classified as a rare disease, affects approximately 130 individuals in the Canary Islands, with about 70 residing in Tenerife. The Sadela program, a joint initiative by Teidela and the Tenerife Island Council, provided comprehensive care to nearly fifty families last year. This resource is vital, particularly in the advanced stages of the pathology, where daily assistance can exceed 12 hours.
Victoria Morales, a family member of a patient, describes the service as a "respite" that allows her to balance her university studies with caring for her mother. In 2025, the program recorded over 6,420 hours of care, benefiting around 15 families.
The Social Action counselor for the Island Council, Águeda Fumero, emphasized the importance of services like speech therapy in maintaining patients' ability to express themselves and eat, crucial aspects of a disease that affects motor neurons and for which a cure has yet to be found.
Despite progress, the president of Teidela, Marcelino Martín, notes that institutional response remains insufficient. The cost of the disease for each family unit can range between 150,000 and 250,000 euros, an expense that current public aid does not fully cover. The recent national ALS Law, which includes monthly aid, has had little real impact on the island, reaching only about ten patients.
The diagnosis of ALS, which typically takes one to two years, and the dependency of support on the autonomous community are further challenges. Teidela was founded precisely to address this territorial inequality, aiming to combat misunderstanding, defend patient dignity, and offer them support and hope.
Looking ahead, the organization hopes to expand the service's coverage, consolidate occupational therapy as a stable provision, and enhance internal coordination for better patient follow-up throughout their process.
