SAINT DANIEL. Story of a battle, of a “very tenacious” warrior. “My illness”booklet written by 16 year old Omar Dabi – student of class III A of the Construction, Environment and Territory address of the Isis Manzini of San Daniele –, tells the ordeal of a terrible ordeal, but above all the determination to face it head on, with positivity and confidence.
Precisely for this reason, for the greatness of the example, Manzini wanted to organize a presentation of the work for the benefit of all classeswho on the morning of Monday 29 April – in the ceremony room of the Scriptorium Foroiuliense – will be able to hear from Omar what prompted him to write to explain his treatment path for the brain tumor that struck him four years ago.
«Our son’s desire is to instill courage and hope in those who, like him, have had to take a forced and difficult path: in the family – says the boy’s mother, Chahrazed Tayar – it is Omar himself who comforts us, who encourages us, who teach us every day how important it is to fight and look forward with joy, despite everything.”
The same happens in the school environment: «Omar, who is truly a beacon for us, a model – declares the director of the Institute, Carla Cozzi -, will retrace together with his companions the stages of his pathology, which had already affected him when he began his studies at Isis Manzini: the fight against the disease does not has never caused him to lose his grit and energy, which on the contrary he is capable of transmitting to those around him, with his good humor, his passions and his unshakable tenacity. Thanks to the affection of his parents and family members, his classmates, teachers, collaborators and all the ISIS staff – he therefore testifies – this extraordinary student of ours makes school an important opportunity whenever he can participate in lessons: give others smiles and lightness, the most precious teaching. Today we will listen to him tell his story in collaboration with doctor Elisabetta Tomat and with a representative of the Luca Friulian Pediatric Oncology Association, Gian Luca Mazzei”.
The event will be divided into two parts, to allow all students to participate. «I believe that those who have the same illness as me, or another type, should never stop doing what they want, always having the desire to achieve goals», writes Omar, grateful to the teachers (“The teachers of my school – he says – they gave me many surprises and they loved me and love me very much») and to the healthcare staff, as documented by an anecdote: «A great gift that I didn’t expect – he reconstructs – was the meeting with Napoli, the team I was rooting for, and for this I thank the doctors, nurses and psychologists. On that day Napoli were supposed to face Udinese and no requests to visit the players before the match were accepted: incredibly, however, my nurse found a way.”
And the final thought of this exceptional boy, courageous to an extent that would be difficult for an adult and generous to indescribable levels, is precisely for those like him who have been struck by evil: «I strongly advise them – he urges – to be optimistic even in slightly sad moments, of trying to build with Legos, to rehabilitate the mind, of not getting too angry and not overdoing physical effort; I recommend doing sports, swimming for example, which helped me a lot, even if I didn’t like it at first.”
Omar, in fact, is also a sportsman: among his passions cycling stands out, a discipline to which he has dedicated a lot of effort, getting on the saddle consistently and trying to train – he says in the text – “always more: for this – he underlines – I must thank many people, including my parents and a friend, who encouraged me.” «We are all very fond and grateful to Omar – concludes the director Cozzi – also for wanting to share his experience of him publicly with the entire school community: he is giving us an exceptional lesson in vitality, strength and will».
