A 12-year-old boy who found his brother dead from a gas heater leak three years ago is raising awareness about the foundation that is supporting his treatment for a rare condition.

Thiago Mallia had discovered the lifeless body of his brother Ramiro - a cancer survivor and philanthropist - in the family's bathroom in March of 2021, thinking his sibling was fast asleep.

Ramiro himself had been diagnosed with leukaemia at two years and nine months and had been declared cancer-free when he was six. He grew up healthy and spent most of his teens raising awareness about NGOs that help children facing health challenges.

In his very last Facebook post before the death, Ramiro had urged people to buy figolli in aid of the Puttinu Cares Foundation, and had set up a Facebook page to raise awareness about cancer survivors, Puttinu and the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.

As the family continues to grapple with Ramiro's death at the age of 19, the parents are caring for his younger brother Thiago, who is fighting a rare condition called benign intracranial hypertension. The condition, diagnosed when he was just four, caused him to severely lose near-sightedness.

Thiago is now following in his older brother's footsteps and dedicating his life to other children facing health issues.

Together with his parents Marylis and Joseph, he is supporting L-Istrina, to help raise much-needed funds for families like his.

Thiago has already received treatment in the UK, but his parents told the L-Istrina team they are preparing to travel abroad again for further treatment.

The Mallias describe the team at MCCF, which supported them financially, emotionally and psychologically, as"angels from the sky".

Photo: L-Istrina