With the motto Those who are brave win. Let's win against Chagas, yesterday Sunday 4 September, a FutbolNet tournament was held in the FC Barcelona's Mini Estadi, which counted with the attendance of about 100 people, most from the Latin American community in Catalonia and affected by the Chagas disease. The day, which has received support of researchers from Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) sought the commitment of the participants to engage in raising awareness of the Chagas disease among their communities. Although the disease affects between 6 and 7 million people around the world, less than 1% of sufferers receive care.http://bit.ly/2bYNzyN FC Barcelona Foundation with the collaboration of Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, the International Health Program of the Institut Català de la Salut (PROSICS), the Mundo Sano Foundation and ISGlobal-Hospital Clínic (both members of the Global Coalition for Chagas), ASAPECHA, and the support of Airpharm have promoted the day of FutbolNet for this disease. This is an innovative initiative for education and awareness that allows to work and talk about values in group and put them into practice in the development of football matches."The FC Barcelona Foundation has a strong commitment to win against Chagas disease", said Jordi Cardoner, FC Barcelona' First vice-president. "We want to play an active role in empowering the people affected so they could break the stigma of silence surrounding this disease. With FutbolNet session this Sunday we have contributed to make football a social tool for improving the lives of people and, in this case, we open the doors to the diagnosis and treatment of a neglected disease"."We hope the people that have participated become advocates in their respective environments about the reality of the disease", said Victor Orosco, a spokesman for the American Friends for the people with Chagas (ASAPECHA). "During the day of 4 September, at the Mini Estadi, we treated values of commitment and teamwork, among others, which are key to raise the number of people assisted with this disease." The disease, caused by the parasite T. cruzi, it is originally transmitted by an insect in endemic areas of South America, Central America and Mexico. But there are other types of transmission, such as congenital or through blood transfusions. It is estimated that most of the more than 6 million people carrying the parasite do not know. Because of migration flows, the disease has spreaded to non-endemic places like the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia.In Spain is estimated that there are more than 68,000 people with Chagas, making it the second non-endemic country with the most cases, after the United States. "Since 2012 they have treated more than 4,500 patients, mostly in Catalonia (with more than 1,500 patients in 35 health centers), followed by Madrid, Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia" confirmed Irene Tato, director of Mundo Sano in Spain.Treatment is important in a phase where the disease still doesn't present symptoms because, later, "30% of people carrying the parasite ends up suffering heart disease or problems in the digestive system," said Silvia Moriana, the http://www.coalicionchagas.org/ Global Coalition for Chagas. "If diagnosed and treated early the development of these injuries can be prevented."The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies Chagas within the group of neglected diseases (or forgotten) that have not received sufficient attention by governments and health institutions.Dr. Jordi Gómez i Prat, from PROSICS and Hospital Campus Vall d'Hebron, added that "at present there is no vaccine for this disease. It is a public health problem for which more efforts are needed in R & D to raise awareness, advance and promote new diagnostics and treatments." In addition, he assured that "it is also necessary to strengthen the primary health care systems so that people have access to comprehensive care of the disease, including both diagnosis and treatment and prevention of different forms of transmission in endemic countries and non-endemic"."We know it will not be easy, but with values it can be won. And we will win against Chagas," concluded Victor Orosco, of ASAPECHA. About ChagasChagas is a disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is endemic in South America, Central America and Mexico, but the disease is present in other non-endemic countries such as Spain or the United States. This disease affects between 6 and 7 million people and annually kills 7,000 worldwide. Currently, less than 1% of sufferers receive care.The routes of transmission are five: Vector (through insect feces), vertical or congenital (from mother to child during pregnancy), blood transfusions or organ transplants, orally and through laboratory accidents.There are currently more than 150 hospitals that treat Chagas disease throughout the Spanish geography. 'FutbolNet'It is a project based on the Futbol3 methodology, an innovative education and awareness tool that allows to work with groups on issues relating to sport and health values, among others. The key of 'FutbolNet' is dialogue. Through this tool, players not only enter into a relationship of mutual respect and understanding, they also gain self-confidence and sense of responsibility.'FutbolNet' also applies in Rio de Janeiro (in the slums of the city), Rosario (Argentina), in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and thirty African countries