Morena, Lorella, Denis and Annamaria: four women who – after having lived the experience of breast cancer, have chosen to become volunteers and put themselves at the service of other women who, like them, are facing the challenge of an oncological disease. Theirs are stories of extraordinary resilience that few know and for this reason Europa Donna Italia has conceived and produced the docufiction ‘Volontarie Noi’.
Twelve minutes in the shoes of the volunteers
In the twelve minutes of the docufiction – directed by the director Damiano Bolzoni – the four women show, to those who do not yet know him, the work done by the associations dedicated to breast cancer. In the short film, which is visible at this link https://europadonna.it/chi-siamo/rete-associliazione/cortometiatura/, the testimonies of the volunteers join the narrator of the theatrical actor Lorenzo Degl’Innocenti, to tell how the The work of the associations intersects on a daily basis with that of doctors and institutions and with the path of patient care. “Every year we collect data on the activities of the volunteers to compose a dynamic portrait of the reality of volunteering in the field of breast cancer. This year, however, we decided not to limit ourselves to numbers: we wanted to use narration to tell the world of associations from a qualitative point of view “, underline Rosanna D’Antona e Loredana Paurespectively president and vice-president of Europa Donna Italia.
Real volunteers
‘Volontarie noi’ is structured in three chapters told directly by four real volunteers who volunteer for an association that deals with breast cancer. Each of them narrates a specific area of intervention of the associations: assistance to patients inside and outside the Breast Units, collaboration with doctors, dialogue with institutions.
The competence that comes from experience
A Breast Unit coordinator, the doctor, was also involved to reinforce the story of the volunteers Adele Sgarella, who gave his point of view on the role of volunteering and on how this has changed in recent years, also following the pandemic period. “The video also tells how much experience and expertise there is in volunteering: in this case the gift of one’s time becomes a precious resource in the path of patient care”, declares the spokesperson of the Third Sector Forum, Vanessa Pallucchi. “Being a support and a point of reference for those who experience a fragility is the deepest meaning of volunteering”.
I ‘Community Awards 2021’
The docufiction ‘Volontarie Noi’ realized with the contribution obtained thanks to the winning of the call promoted by Gilead “Community Awards 2021” and with the patronage of Senonetwork APS. “For ten years now, through our Community Awards, we have supported projects that, like this docufiction, are able to reach patients and caregivers to support them during the difficult paths of oncological disease – he says Gemma Saccomanni, Senior Director Public Affairs of Gilead Italia. It is now unimaginable a socio-assistance path that does not see dedicated voluntary associations as protagonists and for this reason we are proud to be alongside Europa Donna also in this initiative ”.