The meeting occurred during the Holy Father's visit to the city, when the pontiff paused to briefly converse with the young man and give him a rosary. This gesture turned Andrés's wait—he had traveled from Madrid to Tenerife hoping to see him up close—into a particularly emotional moment.
Andrés Marcio Olona, 22, is a Journalism student and has become a recognizable voice in raising awareness about laminopathy, a rare pathology affecting muscle tissue and part of the group of rare diseases. Through his social media and public activities, the young man has highlighted the reality of those living with this condition, advocating for more research, support, and social understanding.
The presence of Pope Leo XIV in Tenerife prompted Andrés to travel to the island with a specific hope: to meet the pontiff. During the procession through La Laguna, this possibility became a reality when the Pope interrupted his advance to approach the young activist.
The brief dialogue between them and the presentation of the rosary were met with emotion by those present. For Andrés, the gesture represented the fulfillment of a personal dream and an opportunity to continue raising visibility for a disease that affects a small number of people and requires more research resources.
Andrés Marcio Olona is also the driving force behind the Andrés Marcio Foundation, an entity established to promote research into laminopathies, particularly those linked to muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies. His work focuses on fundraising, supporting scientific projects, and raising societal awareness about the impact of these pathologies.
Laminopathy is a rare genetic disease that can cause progressive muscle weakness and other associated complications. Andrés's testimony has become a tool for outreach and awareness, especially among young people, by combining his activism with humor, communication, and his training as a future journalist. The encounter with Leo XIV in Tenerife now adds a new chapter to his public story, reinforcing the message that has been conveyed for years: the importance of facing rare diseases head-on, listening to those who suffer from them, and supporting research as an essential path to improving their quality of life.
