Emiliana Rodriguez, originally from Bolivia but now living in Barcelona, vividly remembers a childhood incident where one of her friends passed away while playing soccer at night. This tragic event left her with a deep fear of the night, associating it with the “silent killer” known as Chagas disease, which she had been warned about. Chagas is a disease transmitted by nocturnal insects and affects millions of people annually, causing around 12,000 deaths each year.

Despite relocating to Barcelona 27 years ago, Rodriguez still lives with Chagas disease, which she describes as a “monster.” The fear associated with the disease often kept her awake at night, worrying that she might not wake up if she fell asleep.

It was only eight years ago, when she was expecting her first child, that Rodriguez discovered she was a carrier of Chagas disease, adding another layer of concern to her already complex relationship with the night and this silent but deadly illness.