My Life Is Not a Fairytale

A book chronicling the life story of Héctor Santana, a young man with Down syndrome

Héctor Santana, a young man with Down syndrome wearing black glasses, smiling as he holds his autobiographical book “Mi vida no es un cuento” in front of a wall of green foliage.

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“People with Down syndrome can do whatever they set their minds to.” This quote from the young Canarian Héctor Santana offers a clear sense of the spirit that has inspired his work My Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.

The book, published jointly by Fundación Mapfre Canarias and Asociación Síndrome de Down de Las Palmas, addresses the challenges facing society when it comes to achieving full inclusion for people with Down syndrome.

Across 134 autobiographical pages, aimed at inspiring and changing societal perceptions of the lives of men and women with Down syndrome, the author addresses topics such as workplace inclusion, the role of the family, and sexuality. And he does this through an honest account of hope, determination, perseverance, and, above all, social commitment.

We share this same commitment, which is why we strive to promote the integration of people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. One example is our innovative program designed to foster partnerships between companies and social entities, thereby facilitating workplace integration for this group of people. Since 2010, more than 6,400 people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues have secured employment thanks to Juntos Somos Capaces.

Héctor Santana, author of “Mi vida no es un cuento”, alongside Infanta Doña Elena de Borbón and Ignacio Baeza, president of Fundación Mapfre Canarias, holding copies of the book at the launch event held at Fundación Mapfre

Given our dedication to inclusion, we could not miss the book launch event. Daniel Restrepo, director of the Social Action Area at Fundación Mapfre, and Angélica Taboada, technical project director at Asociación Síndrome de Down de Las Palmas, joined Héctor in a roundtable discussion moderated by journalist Verónica Zumalacárregui. Also participating in the event were Ignacio Baeza, president of Fundación Mapfre Canarias, and HRH Infanta Doña Elena de Borbón, director of projects at Fundación Mapfre

Mi vida no es un cuento invites us to step into the life of Héctor Santana and discover his struggle against social stigmas. Purchase it at https://bilenio.com/producto/mi-vida-no-es-un-cuento/ and be inspired by a story which proves that, together, we can build a society that is more aware of and respectful toward the reality of people with Down syndrome.