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A giant zebra transforms La Paz and shines a light on rare diseases
A life-sized zebra sculpture welcomes families and patients at La Paz. The hospital aims to raise awareness of rare diseases and encourage children's participation. With this, Madrid adds another gesture of support for those living with these conditions.
Those who pass through the lobby of La Paz Children's Hospital these days encounter an unexpected sight: a life-size zebra, installed right between the outpatient area and the paediatric emergency waiting room. It is not merely a sculpture, but a symbol that seeks to raise awareness of the more than 7,000 rare diseases affecting thousands of families in Madrid and across Spain.
The initiative, promoted by Takeda for World Rare Disease Day, invites the boys and girls passing through the hospital to take an active part: they can add colour to the zebra's surface, turning the work into a living collective mural. In this way, the hospital transforms a transit space into a place of meeting and expression for children and their families.
The hospital's management stresses that hosting this action reinforces La Paz's commitment to personalised care and comprehensive support, especially in paediatrics. It also highlights the importance of collaboration between professionals, institutions and organisations to improve the quality of life of those living with these conditions.
The head of Takeda España's Rare Diseases Unit says that the intervention symbolises support for patients, families and healthcare teams. The action at La Paz is only the start of a journey that will take the zebra to other hospitals in the Comunidad de Madrid and, later, to different parts of the country, with the aim of strengthening the awareness movement around these diseases.
La Paz hospital, located in the north of the city, is one of the national reference centres for paediatric care and the treatment of rare diseases. Its location, beside major access roads and well connected by public transport, facilitates the daily arrival of hundreds of families from different neighbourhoods and municipalities. Over the years, the centre has incorporated initiatives that seek to humanise the hospital experience and bring patients' reality closer to everyday life in Madrid. The presence of the giant zebra is a new example of how the city integrates social awareness into its busiest spaces.