What do a football coach and an oncologist have in common? Overall simple answer, even if not obvious: they must be able to create a group to achieve a goal. Max Allegri will explain it to the students (all already graduates) of the seminar “Team working and communication of victories and defeats” of the specialization course in “Communicating cancer, medicine and health“, organized by the Polytechnic University of Marche . Tomorrow 1 December, from 11 to 13, the Juventus coach will bring his experience as a coach to the classroom, to convey the importance of teamwork and underline the similarities between managing a sports team and a medical team.
“It is a great honor to have been invited to share my experience on such delicate topics”, comments Max Allegri, who as a teacher intends to convey the importance of valuing different perspectives within the group (be it a multidisciplinary team or a team of football) to ensure a climate of fruitful collaboration. “From this point of view, the affinities between the sports world and the hospital world are many: whoever is in charge of managing the group must know how to maintain the balance between the various components to the full advantage of the result”.
As Rossana Berardi, Director of the Postgraduate Course and Full Professor of the Oncology Clinic of the University of the Marche, underlines, Max Allegri is a great professional who has spent numerous times on health-themed awareness campaigns. For several years, for example, he has been involved in cancer awareness with the Allied Health Coach campaign, with which he encourages coaches to take care of the kids so that they follow correct lifestyles. “His participation in the seminar is, for us and for the operators enrolled in the course, of great human and professional value”, adds Berardi. “Thanks to his long experience in the field, the ability to encourage and stimulate the kids to give their best for a common goal and the sensitivity necessary to accompany them even in defeats, he is the ideal teacher to illustrate the importance of interaction as opportunity for exchange.
“This specialization course is important because it allows the young graduates who follow it to explore issues such as communication and teamwork, for a better relationship with patients and a renewed organization of the complex social-health machine of our country”, he agrees Mauro Silvestrini, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the Polytechnic University of the Marches. “Training professionals means generating opportunities, positive influences and awareness that can bring out better solutions for the daily management of hospital wards”.
“Max goes to a big and sincere thanks from all of us for his willingness to share his skills as a coach”, concludes Mauro Boldrini, Communications Director of AIOM – Italian Association of Medical Oncology. “With his participation in the Allied Health Coach campaign we have reached thousands of kids who are now encouraged to follow healthier lifestyles. Testimonials like him are indispensable for conveying correct messages to healthcare professionals as well: Our intention is to continue with campaigns that see sport and healthcare working together, because cancer must be fought all together, just like a great team”.
The lesson will be streamed on the Facebook profile of Comunicare il cancer, the first portal entirely dedicated to the new languages in the fight against cancer promoted by Rossana Berardi and Mauro Boldrini.