Bologna, 26 April 2024 – As soon as the oncology therapy session goes in pediatrics department For make people play and smile hospitalized children.
Michele Mariani56 years old, from Pesaro, hospital receptionist, comes to Sant’Orsola three times a week to undergo treatment “for the multiple myeloma against which I have been fighting since December 2017”, as he himself says.
“Myeloma was diagnosed in Christmas 2017, I came to Sant’Orsola. From there everything started a little, I was already a lane clownso I had the strength to be close to children in serious situations, I do creations with balloons which are very popular and bring joy. Now the disease has started again, this time too during the Christmas holidays – he underlines –. This has been the case since January therapies have started again oncology treatments that I will have to do for a year and next month there will be a transplant with my stem cells. But the important thing was to bring well-being to others: you help other people and at the same time give strength to yourself too, you are giving a little good to others who are suffering, they are in the hospital. Studies are showing that smiling is a strong cure for depression that destroys you physically because you lower your defenses. Small situations, those of a smile for a colored balloon, but important for giving help to medicine. I tried to bring this ‘wellbeing’ to the various departments, from the one where women with cancer are hospitalized to that of children.”
Michele, however, tries to bring a smile and a few moments of lightness not only to the little ones, but also to the healthcare personnel: “It’s also very hard for doctors and nurses to see a child who can’t make it. And you also bring joy to the parent who sees her child doing well. And she gives me enormous joy too and I feel better too. As soon as the therapies are finished, before starting to go to the children, I was very sick, I came home and for hours it was really hard. Instead I saw that engaging with the childrenEven though I was very tired, he gave me impressive help. It was the ‘drug’ that got me avoided side effects in the evening. Giving is a strength.”
Mariani would also like to carry out a project together with other adult patients to bring strength and hope to them too.
