Rome, May 26 (beraking latest news Salute) – A gardenia to support multiple sclerosis research. On the occasion of the World Day dedicated to the disease, which is celebrated on May 30 in 70 countries around the world, on Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 200 thousand gardenia plants will be distributed in Italy by 13 thousand volunteers. With this gesture, the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association (Aism) will invite everyone to support research as the only weapon available today to defeat the disease. The “Welcome back gardensia” event takes place under the patronage of the President of the Republic. From now on it is possible to book your own gardenia plant, with a minimum donation of 15 euros, by contacting the provincial section of your city, whose list is available on http://www.aism.it/gardensia.
“After a difficult year we have returned to color Italy with gardenia, which is our flower: it represents the will not to give up and to share our commitment to stop multiple sclerosis. It contains the hope of starting together stronger than before. “, Declares Francesco Vacca, national president of Aism. The funds raised with the initiative will go to support scientific research and will allow Aism to guarantee care, assistance and support responses for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the area , now more fundamental than ever.
Chronic, unpredictable and disabling, multiple sclerosis is one of the most serious diseases of the central nervous system. 50% of people with MS are young and not yet 40 years old. It affects women twice as much as men. In Italy 130 thousand people are affected, 3,400 new cases every year: 1 every 3 hours. The cause and the definitive cure have not yet been found but thanks to the progress made by scientific research, there are therapies and treatments that can slow down the course of multiple sclerosis and improve the quality of life of sick people. For this it is essential to support scientific research.
A solidarity number is also active to donate: 45512. The funds raised will go to finance in particular scientific research on severe forms of multiple sclerosis and the #ripartireinsieme project to continue to guarantee Aism’s activities in the area. The donation amounts will be 5 or 10 euros from a fixed network call Tim, Vodafone, WindTre, Fastweb, and Tiscali, 5 euros from a fixed network call Twt, Convergenze and PosteMobile and 2 euros from a personal mobile phone WindTre, Tim, Vodafone, Iliad, PosteMobile, CoopVoce, Tiscali.
Together with many friends, testimonials and influencers alongside Aism – the note reports – to promote the event there will be Lorella Cuccarini who supports together with ‘Thirty hours for life’ the project ‘A mother with Sm must be supported’ and actress Antonella Ferrari who brought her fight against multiple sclerosis to the Sanremo stage and who this year celebrates 20 years as Aism’s godmother. Assaeroporti, the Italian airport management association, joined the ‘Bentornata Gardensia’ initiative, together with the airports of Alghero, Bologna, Cagliari, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Naples, Palermo, Rimini, Rome Ciampino, Rome Fiumicino, Turin, Trapani, Trieste and Venice.
Aism, together with its Foundation (Fism) has been intervening at 360 degrees on multiple sclerosis for over 50 years. In 2020, to cope with the coronavirus emergency – the note recalls – assistance in the territory and the toll-free number was enhanced, which handled over 6,200 requests in the first period of the health emergency, 5 times those of the previous year. A data collection program on Covid-19 and Sm cases was launched with the Italian Society of Neurology (Sin). Surveys have been launched to know the impact of the epidemic on people with MS, with over 5,000 responses. An advocacy action was implemented: a continuous dialogue with national and local institutions on issues related to the care and assistance of people with MS and on issues related to the rights of people with disabilities.