There World Multiple Sclerosis Daywhich was celebrated on May 30th, was the driving force Raffaella Mennoia to break through her proverbial privacy and share with her over 720 thousand Instagram followers a dramatic experience that profoundly affected her body and soul and that changed the course of her life. «Years ago, after some physical ailments, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called polyneuropathy – wrote the historic author of “Men and Women” in a long post -. This disease would gradually lead to the atrophy of some muscles and the diagnosis was very ruthless. I went through very dark times and spent two years of treatment at the Gemelli Hospitalwhere I received immunoglobulins and strong cortisone-based therapy.”
For two years, every month she was admitted to a day hospital for a week and it was in the hospital that she began to have her first doubts. «I realized that the people hospitalized with me did not have the same symptoms that I had – she continued in her story – so I decided to investigate and go to the Mayo Clinic, a hospital of great importance abroad. After about 15 days of hospitalization, I received a new diagnosis. Fortunately, this new diagnosis has ruled out autoimmune disease.” At the time, Mennoia didn’t feel like reporting the doctors who gave her the wrong diagnosis «even though they caused me serious physical and psychological problems due to the two years of cortisone-based therapy – she explained -. Today, however, on the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, I want to support all those who live with this disease and encourage scientific research to find new therapies and a definitive cure. I decided to share this very painful experience with you because I hope it can help people who may find themselves in the same situation.”
She recently turned fifty and is currently linked to the martial arts champion Alessio Sakara, the author started as a “postman” at “C’è posta per te” in 2010, then moved to the editorial staff of “Uomini e Donne” and became manager a few years later. Very close to Maria De Filippiwho she was especially close to while grieving for Maurizio Costanzotoday he takes care of all the programs of his production company “Charm”. «This experience has made me particularly sensitive and I would like there to be greater commitment from everyone in supporting donations for research into this disease. It is a devastating disease and only those who suffer from it truly know what it means. I hope that my testimony can be useful”, concluded Mennoia, whose post obtained over 20 thousand likes and hundreds of favorable comments.
