45 years of life, in the existence of a Third Sector reality, I am a particularly important goaland because it means having transformed an idea into a concrete reality, which has proved to be sustainable and replicable in space and time. It’s that’s what happened to Ant Foundation, born from the happy intuition of prof. Franco Pannuti, back in 1978and has now become the largest Italian institution in the field of medical, home and free assistance to cancer patients and cancer prevention.
To celebrate this anniversary, Ant awaits over 700 volunteers and professionals from all over Italy in Bologna on the weekend of 9, 10 and 11 June for the usual “Ant Together”, five-year appointment to meet, take stock and rethink the long journey already made alongside those who suffer.
“We must be proud of the fact that, in the memory and under the constant guidance of my father, we managed to go through a terrible pandemic and are now facing a war that has led to an unprecedented energy crisis» he underlined Raffaella Pannuti, President of Ant. «We must be equally proud for having carried forward Ant’s project, which he had imagined, even without him, but seeing in each of our new clients the eyes of the Prof, his humility and his tenacity. “I love you”, he often said and we repeat it every day with our gestures and our industriousness. While volunteers or operators keep the concept of Eubiosia very clear within themselves as the dignity of life, looking at Ant as a story that continues».
The busy calendar of appointments kicked off today (Friday 9 June) in theAula Magna Sacmi of the Ant Institute with the celebratory session, dedicated to the memory of prof. Clothedof the titled conference “Oncological home care. Ant’s contribution for 45 years to the home of those who suffer”. Among the speakers, to open the same president of Ant, Raffaella Pannuti, protagonist of the intervention “The driving force of volunteering in memory of Franco Pannuti”.
Then, the expert on the Protection of Rights Antonio Gaudioso explored issues related to “The ability of communities to influence policy decisions” recalling how «Patients, citizens, private social organizations through their action to protect rights over the years have proven to be an essential part of the national health service. Comparison, listening, collaboration with the institutions are a way to give centrality to the needs of the community (…) The ability of civic activism to produce information on reality and to respond to needs, such as social/health integration, are a wealth that must be valued”.
Many institutional presences, in addition to the messages sent by the Ministers of Health Orazio Schillaci and for Disabilities Alessandra Locatelli. The president of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini, the deputy minister Galeazzo Bignami, ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the senator and councilor of the Mur, Alessandra Gallone, the deputy mayor of the Municipality of Bologna Emily Clancy and the councilor Luca Rizzo Nervo, with responsibility for Health, Welfare and New Citizenship. Also present were Luigi Bagnoli, president of the Order of Surgeons of Bologna; Gabriele Raimondi, president of the Order of Psychologists of the Emilia-Romagna Region; Catia Franceschini, councilor of the Order of Nursing Professions of Bologna.
The second session of the conference, Saturday June 10, is scheduled at the FICo Congress Center. Eataly World (still in Bologna in via Paolo Canali 80). Here, starting from 8.30 and until 18, the more purely scientific part of the event will be staged, Ecm accredited for the figures of Surgeon (all disciplines), Nurses, Pediatric Nurses and Psychologists (psychotherapy, psychology) and also opened and closed, upstream and downstream of the interventions of a selected panel of experts in the field of home care, by Raffaella Pannuti.
Il conference, which will involve professionals but also some Ant Delegates in the territories, will focus on Palliative Care in light of the growing social, as well as clinical, awareness of the need to take care of the person with the disease and not just the disease.
The morning will be opened by the words of Senator and former Speaker of the Chamber Pier Ferdinando Casini who will remember the Prof and Ant’s experience with a video message on the theme “Palliative care today, between politics and social need”.
Themes such as the use of artificial intelligence and telemedicine will then be touched upon, within which the growth of the humanistic side of taking care must be guaranteed. New training strategies will be discussed, the debate will open on the role of the media in contributing to a correct vision of palliative care to avoid distortions and weaken its evolutionary drive and then move on to current economic issues, from which palliative medicine does not escape. The conference will close with a large round table on ethical, legal and spiritual topics in which lay and religious representatives – including the Cardinal and president of the CEI Matteo Zuppi – will discuss the limits and appropriateness of treatments, and therefore the key elements in management of the problems that arise, often in a dramatic way, in those who find themselves at the end of their existence and must answer the many doubts and questions about the meaning of care and of life.
In a note, the foundation recalls that the conference is made possible by the unconditional contribution of Molteni Farmaceutici and Viatris.
Saturday will continue with a moment of celebration open to all health and non-health professionals of Ant and to the precious brigade of volunteers who have come from all over Italya.
In the end, Sunday morning, we will return to the Ant Institute in via Jacopo di Paolo for a last moment of meeting and the remembrance of Prof. Franco Pannuti.
To make possible what is to all intents and purposes the most eagerly awaited event for all Ant people – underlines in a note – are the historic supporters of the Foundation among which Centergross has always stood out which, as mentioned on several occasions, The dawn of the Ant experience made it possible to start home care in the Bologna area thanks to an important donation. Buonristoro and Pasticceria ‘Federico Asta’ also support the event with great generosity. Finally we thank Edra, Media partner of the event.
Opening photo from the Press Office