The inauguration of the facilities “adopted” by SACM took place this morning.
On the occasion of Christmas, a donation has been approved for the facilities of ‘Casa Gialla’, run by the Bologna-based Ageop association, which has been at the forefront of pediatric oncology research, treatment and support for over 40 years. This morning, the building in via Massarenti 183, which houses young patients and their families, witnessed the inauguration of the rooms “adopted” by SACMI. In the photo, from left to right: Paolo Mongardi, President of SACMI, Francesca Testoni, Director of Ageop, Giuliano Airoli, Director of SACMI.
Bologna, December 18, 2023 – SACMI is lending its support to Casa Gialla, a facility that provides child cancer patients not only treatment, but also a place to play and live. As Christmas 2023 approaches, SACMI’s Board of Directors has approved a major donation to help the association finalize the purchase of the facility, completing the “solidarity bid” launched by Ageop in 2021.
An inaugural ceremony was held this morning in via Massarenti 183, Bologna, with the unveiling of a plaque on the premises “adopted” by SACMI. The event was attended by Paolo Mongardi, President of SACMI, Francesca Testoni, Director of Ageop, and Giuliano Airoli, Director of SACMI.
The Casa Gialla project is managed by Ageop Ricerca, a Bolognese association committed to scientific research and support in the field of pediatric oncohematology for over 40 years.
Based at Policlinico Sant’Orsola in Bologna, Ageop accommodates hundreds of children and parents free of charge every year in 4 facilities located outside the hospital. This allows families, especially those from out of town, to cope with the long and delicate process of care and recovery. Young patients and their families are housed here for as long as the treatment plan requires; they are then placed under the umbrella of a long-term “protected discharge” plan that can last several months or even years.
Casa Gialla is the last “piece” of Ageop Ricerca’s integrated housing system. Purchased and renovated in 2015, the building was recently the focus of a solidarity bid involving artists, businesses and institutions. SACMI has made a significant donation that will help the association pay off the mortgage taken on the property.
“In our homes, everything is designed to ensure that children and parents receive protection, help and love. Ageop’s free accommodation service allows families to treat their children in one of Italy’s leading hospitals,” says Ageop director Francesca Testoni, “helping to ensure that all children have access to the best care available. Safeguarding the right to healthcare is one of our key objectives and we are extremely grateful to SACMI for the support it has chosen to provide. Only together, in fact, can we build a better future for children and adolescents affected by cancer.”
“By engaging in hands-on projects, SACMI upholds the right to education and health care, especially for children, around the world,” says SACMI President Paolo Mongardi. “In this case, we have chosen to support a vital local facility that treats childhood cancer. It is a facility that, perhaps more than any other, reflects the true meaning of solidarity and the importance of being able to rely on adequate care and treatment networks.”
This is much more than an “accommodation”. It is a “home” where you receive the welcoming support of doctors, psychologists and volunteers. Casa Gialla has family rooms and common areas, such as a gym, that allow guests to share their experiences and provide emotional support as they face the treatment plan together.
Conversation with other families going through the same experience can be as valuable as consultation with physicians. Practical and in-depth psychological needs are also met with the help of the association’s two counselors, who are based at Casa Gialla and are available 7 days a week.
At the heart of the facility is the gymnasium, a place where patients can overcome isolation by playing with other children, participating in experiences and activities that gently soothe this time of illness. In recognition of the support received, the gymnasium and the offices of the two counselors will be named after SACMI.
