Donation and transplantation, a team effort: the testimony of Prof. Feccia and young Samuele

«Thank you for the hospitality in this magnificent hall. While listening to the previous contributions, I highlighted three concepts: sport, team, and solidarity. Sport is education, solidarity reminds us that we are not islands, and therefore we all work for others, we make a team. The team is the one that wins: those who follow young people and lead the team have a privileged position, because they draw energy from those who give it to you for free. And on the other hand, there is also loneliness: the young boy comes to compete and is focused on that, without particular psychological support. My patient who is waiting for a heart, a kidney, a liver, experiences all this every day. We must not be saddened, many do not talk about this because they think it is not the right place to talk about illness. Instead, volunteer associations are the voice of loneliness: supporting these people are teams that are us surgeons. But without a society that decides to donate organs, to donate life, we surgeons cannot do our job. Seeing a transplant recipient get on a bike and lead a life full of activities and sports is a very powerful message, it means having won one's challenge against illness, and it was won thanks to solidarity and technology. We are with them, and an event like Bike 4 Fun, which sees two important logos like ANED and AIDO at its side, deserves only one word: chapeau! Those waiting for an organ ask nothing of anyone, it must be a mature and attentive society that makes a team around these people: donation is an act of generosity.»

These were the words spoken in Aula Giulio Cesare at the Capitoline Hill, during yesterday morning's press conference, by Professor Mariano Feccia, director of the Regional Transplant Center of Lazio. He was followed by the story of fifteen-year-old Samuele Galimberti, who in his young life has had to experience dialysis and a kidney transplant. Today, however, thanks also to the work of doctors like Prof. Feccia and associations like Aned and Aido, young people like Samuele can play sports like all young athletes.
To contribute to the important cause of donation and donors, the organization of the Gran Premio Liberazione, organized by Terenzi Sport Eventi, is holding the ride Bike 4 Fun, which on Sunday the 23rd will inaugurate the three days at Caracalla. Free registration, free donation.

After the conference, a "quadruple" interview was conducted: Mariano Feccia, Samuele Galimberti, the latter's father Bruno Galimberti (actively involved in Aned Sport), and Mrs. Liliana Castellani. You can watch it HERE