Children with cancer decorated at robotics competition in Mexico

Emmanuel and Ivan, aged 8 and 6

, participated in the First Lego League Jr contest and were decorated in the “Rising Stars” category , and though they are both childhood cancer patients at the San Luis Potosí Central Hospital , they also share a passion for robotics.

What Emmanuel loves most about robots is to be able to move them. He talked about the project that they presented at the competition, which consisted of building a lunar space station.

His creative process was sparked by his dreams, in which he imagined that he went inside a moon crater. Emannuel wants to study robotics someday, because “ robots are important so that you don’t get bored ,” he said.

He has lots of fun at the program’s courses and he would like to build a shark-like robot that can swim on its own. He also wants to enlarge his robotics team.

The mother of Emmanuel, Helen Moreno , has noticed some changes in the child’s behavior. Ever since he was diagnosed, he’s had some emotional problems. “But the contest changed everything for the boy. Now, he is more confident and open,” she told.

“He is a very brave boy and the idea of participating in this sort of event is very exciting to him. When he attended his first class, he was flabbergasted, and once he got a robot to move, he didn’t want to stop,” she added.

For his part, Ivan (8) said he liked to build robots and control them with tablets . “I am very happy, excited, and proud to be here in Mexico,” he commented.

The “Robosonrisas” (Robot-smiles) project started in San Luis Potosí , though a collaboration between the TecMilenio University and the Doctor Sonrisas Association .

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