the inspiring path of Silvana, the Cordoba woman who is an air evacuation nurse

Since she was a child, an interest in mountains awoke in her. With her grandfather, she took long walks at the foot of the mountains, where she learned to hunt, fish and swim. But what most caught her attention were those peaks that were seen in the distance from her; And of course, getting to the top was not an easy job, much less a short one. Twenty-six years have passed since that first time she turned on a light of hope to be able to fulfill the goal she so desired: to reach the top.

Silvana Patricia Candiani Marcuzzi (44), native of Cordoba capital, is a rescuer and air evacuation nurse. Her perseverance led her to Switzerland, where she was awarded a scholarship to train alongside one of the world‘s most prestigious alpine helicopter rescue companies. On May 30, she began a course in that country, an experience that certified her to provide emergency helicopter medical services in extreme conditions.

However, the path to reach the foot of the Swiss Alps to live that experience began a long time ago, in 1997. For Silvana, climbing a mountain, however imposing, did not simply mean reaching the top. Her dream encompassed much more. She took time, she experienced frustrations, fears and uncertainties; a path forged based on trial and error.

“I already knew that I wanted to be a mountain rescuer before finishing high school,” said the woman in dialogue with The voice. Although he was clear about what he wanted, he took a different course and decided to study Electronic Engineering, which “was a failed attempt in several aspects,” he recounted.

“We all know that a rescue involves communication in all its forms and, according to me, putting antennas on the mountains was a great way to start my profession as a rescuer. But obviously it wasn’t there, and it was frustrating. The first big frustration. Discovering that this was not for me and accepting that I was not going to be able to achieve it in a timely manner, “explained Patricia.

Despite the fact that at first glance it seemed that time had been wasted, something was beginning to be built and the path was gradually clearing. “In Argentina, rescue does not exist as a profession. One cannot officially ‘study’ rescue, so I put together a strategic plan, and not without doubts, fears and distrust, ”she recounted.

In 1997 the first mountain survival course began. At that point, she began to find some indications that her dream could come true. Silvana continued her formation with unwavering determination, always keeping her goal in her sight.

Although she failed to complete some of her chosen careers, they all played a vital role in her professional growth. For more than two and a half decades, she trained as a tour guide, mountain guide, radio amateur, medical expert, lifeguard, first aid specialist with the Red Cross, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), nurse, kinesiologist, and many others. disciplines.

In turn, “from a very young age, she worked on everything she considered would give her the chance to grow as a rescuer, sometimes with success and other times not so much. Although everything helped to demarcate the path, which did not exist, ”she said.

In 2011, Silvana, together with her husband Juan, decided to settle in El Chaltén, Santa Cruz. There she is the mecca of mountain rescue in Argentina and where they currently reside together with her children, Joaquín and Sebastián. Her desire had already taken her to Argentine Patagonia. There she spends her days with her family, working as a kayak and mountain guide, taking care of the household with her husband, enjoying the beauty of the landscapes and, above all, transmitting to her children the value of pursuing dreams through his own story.

In 2014, Silvana had the opportunity to take a Medical Air Navigation course for Nurses, taught by the National Institute of Aerospace Medicine. During the final drill, she flew in a C-130 Hercules, and in that instant, in midair, she knew for sure that this was the essence of her desire for air rescue.

“It was my place in the world. It didn’t matter that in my country there was no such thing as mountain air rescue as a career. I would make my own way by walking!” she expressed with a mixture of emotion and determination.

Years later, already with the Nursing career finished, it appears in his box of e-mail the opportunity he had sought for more than 25 years. She remembers that moment as if it were today. She was with her mother, trying to get some movie tickets online, which led to her casually checking her cell phone mailbox.

She rarely goes in to see the messages, however, on that occasion something caught her attention: a mail of the companies Air Zermatt and Swiss Sherpa Foundation. Her legs trembled, screams and tears of joy filled the air. The dream was about to come true: travel to Europe to train.

Despite the fact that both companies were responsible for most of the travel and training costs, Silvana still had to cover the cost of airfare and acquire the appropriate equipment to face the tasks at height and rescue. The long-awaited trip to Zermatt, at the foot of Mount Cervino, in the Alps, was delayed until 2022, due to economic issues. However, thanks to the solidarity of the people and the support of the company, he was finally able to start his journey in 2023.

This story transcends the mere pride of seeing a Cordovan woman reach such a high level of training in the field of air evacuation rescue, and taught by one of the most outstanding companies in the world.

It is a story that embodies resilience, perseverance, overcoming, the idea of ​​restlessly waiting for the opportunity, of charting a course so that dreams become goals.

And at the heart of it all is the transformative power of education, which enables you to climb the mightiest mountains and pursue your dreams, no matter how long it takes.

How to help us find Everyday Heroes and Heroines

From The voicewe have proposed to reflect simple Cordovan stories, of generous souls that with small daily gestures make a difference.

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