by Health Editorial Staff
The literary prize gives voice to illness stories narrated from the perspective of male caregivers who accompany women with cancer in the treatment process
How to tell two young children that their mother has cancer? Using the metaphor of the toy soldiers, who are “injected” in the hospital to fight against the bad cells. Soldiers is the title of the story by Luca Locatelli, winner of the sixth edition of the literary prize A flanking courage, promoted by Roche Italia to give voice to the stories of men who are family caregivers (they take care of sick relatives or those with disabilities who are not self-sufficient ed.) alongside women with an oncological or onco-haematological disease. On November 21st, the short film of the same name was premiered in Rome, directed by Daniele Barbiero and the screenplay by Marika Tassone, a student of the Creating stories course promoted by Anica Academy Ets, who was also awarded during the event.
Two out of three family caregivers are women
According to data fromHigher Institute of Health, in Italy approximately two out of three family caregivers are women aged between 45 and 64; they often also work outside the home or, in the majority of cases, have abandoned their work to dedicate themselves full time to care. Some studies have highlighted how the different degree of discomfort experienced by male or female caregivers in the care experience could be associated with different social expectations related to gender.
Gender perspective
The purpose of the literary prize, created in 2016, is to tell the stories of men who live the experience of being caregivers of their wives, partners, daughters, friends, who are facing cancer, trying to overturn gender stereotypes.
As Benedetta Nicastro, general secretary of the award and Communication Head of Roche, explained: We have chosen to give space to the positive stories of those who, faced with difficulties, decide to stay and find the necessary momentum to move forward. The aim is to make men feel less unprepared and women less alone when facing an illness.
The short film Soldatini, based on the story of the same name which won the literary prize, produced by MP Film and starring Marco Quaglia, Chiara Cavalieri, Luca Quadrano and Benedetta Lucidi, will soon be distributed through the circuits and channels of the initiative’s partners (AIL-Associazione Italian against Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; Anica Academy; C+C; Ciaopeople; DottNet; Edra; FAVO-Italian Federation of Voluntary Oncology Associations; Massimo Ferrero Cinemas; Mediaset; 20; Focus, Iris; La5; Medusa; Mp Film ; Radiomediaset; The Space Cinema; Vidiemme).
The research: Men tend to “control” their emotions
On the occasion of the award ceremony, the results of a research project A flanking stories, carried out by Eikon Strategic Consulting, were presented, aimed at bringing out – from the narratives collected over the years by the A flanking courage initiative – perceptions, experiences and needs in a gender caregiving perspective. Well, it emerged that even men in the role of caregivers adapt to the gender social model which requires strength, control, detachment and protection and in which controlled empathy prevails. More than one caregiver in three explicitly states that they have exercised deliberate control over their emotions by hiding them or experiencing them in solitude.
The analysis of the stories highlights the articulated value of the “A flanking courage” project, which represented an action of story advocacy and listening and, at the same time, offered caregivers a protected narrative space that allowed them to sharing experiences and emotions that they rarely have the opportunity to express, commented Cristina Centi, one of the authors of the research. Being a support without supporting oneself, in turn, is a difficult task that can lead to highly uncomfortable situations. To be effective as a caregiver, man tends to make his suffering invisible to others, which, in a negative cycle, translates into loneliness and isolation. The gender mask, from being a resource, risks turning into a problem in turn.
Give family caregivers proper recognition
The awards evening was attended by, among others, the members of the jury chaired by Gianni Letta, the Minister for Disability Alessandra Locatelli and Carolina Marconi, ambassador of Alongside Courage.
The Award offers us an unprecedented point of view that brings to the foreground sometimes invisible elements of those who experience an illness and of those who are close to them – said the president of the jury Letta -. This initiative reminds us how important it is to share even moments of difficulty because from them we can draw the courage to move forward, despite everything.
Carolina Marconi, ambassador of the initiative, said: When the cancer diagnosis arrived, the world collapsed on me and my partner Alessandro, but we faced this battle together and now we are stronger. There is still too little talk about men like Alessandro, who remain at your side when you face an oncological disease: “Alongside courage”, which in recent years has told their stories, has contributed to changing the perception of men in the role of caregivers.
For her part, the Minister for Disabilities thanked family caregivers, men and women, who take care of their loved ones, often making sacrifices. With the establishment of the interministerial table for family caregivers – said Locatelli – we will strive to give caregivers the right recognition and the hope of no longer feeling alone.
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November 21, 2023 (modified November 21, 2023 | 7:10 pm)
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