by Stefania Supino
From Albania to Monteleone di Spoleto. It is a story of fear and courage, love and passion, that of the general practitioner Lida Mulo, who until May 31st was the point of reference for the small mountain community, of which she took care in terms of health and safety. which, despite her retirement, she is ready to continue working if the need arises. She who arrived here on the top of the mountain wearing a white coat, among the raised eyebrows of farmers and shepherds, the same ones she took care of for 17 years, managing, month after month, phone call after phone call, to gain their trust. Greek father and Albanian mother, two sons, a vocation for her work and a man originally from Monteleone di Spoleto, but met in Rome, who became her husband.
Lida Mulo has lived many lives and this is also why she has managed to overcome walls that in small mountain communities may seem apparently insurmountable. And instead the Albanian doctor with a big heart soon managed to open a breach, so much so that the mayor of Monteleone di Spoleto Marisa Angelini, a few days ago, wanted to pay homage on behalf of the entire community to the work carried out with dedication and love from 2007 to Last May 31st, when the pension arrived. «On 10 January 1991, after having won a scholarship at the Umberto I hospital, I moved to Rome – she told Umbria24 the doctor – and a few months later she met my husband. I fell in love with Italy and Rome and decided to start working here.”
Lida’s choice was not an easy one, she laughingly states «It was a misfortune to have won the competition», because leaving her country of origin, Albania, her children and going back to studying to validate her degree was not an easy choice. by no means simple, but she had the courage to turn her life upside down and today she declares that she is happy with the choices she made, even if she tends to specify that she was very lucky for the opportunities she found and the people she met. «Fortunately my family and my children have never made me feel guilty for my choices. No one imagined that I could make such a drastic change, not even me”, says Lida.
«Love pushed me to stay – says the doctor – my husband is from Monteleone di Spoleto and after a few years in Rome we decided to move to his hometown. Rome is beautiful, but I have never been used to living in big cities, in Albania the place where I lived was very quiet – and he continues – in 2007 we moved to the small village and since then I have always met good people who, each in his own way, he helped me and allowed me to work.” After a few years as a medical guard in the areas of Valnerina, Lida became a family doctor and initially it was not easy to gain the trust of her patients, «because everyone has to earn the trust of the other, it takes time. I don’t like talking about racism in this case.”
«In the first days of retirement my patients almost made me feel guilty – the doctor says laughing – they called me constantly. We have less than 600 inhabitants, I know all my patients and I also remember their telephone number by heart, I will certainly continue to help my community, even as a volunteer if they need it.” Despite her retirement, Lida confides to us that her love for her work will always be part of her, but she will certainly have more time to dedicate to her children and grandchildren who live far from her.
