Maria Giovanna

Strength, resilience and trust. These are the first things that come to my mind if I think of all the people I met during my internship at LIRH.
The first experience in direct contact with patients is never easy, but observing the courage and determination in the patient's eyes and the professionalism and humanity with which every professional manages its work gives you back something that goes far beyond academic and / or exclusively professional growth. Dealing with this reality has deeply enriched me and has given me an "other" dimension; it' something complex to explain, which can only be understood by looking into the eyes and understanding the story of the people i met. 

The thing that immediately seemed clear to me was the sense of family and mutual intimacy created between the Foundation's team and the people assisted by it, wheter they were patients or caregivers. I have seen a relationship without the coldness that it's easy to find in clinical environments, where sometimes the patient becomes a mere number. Behind the face of every single patient that i had the chance to meet, there is a great story, made of suffering but also of a lot of strength, trust and gratitude. They teach us an important lesson every day: Never give up no matter how many difficult moments you have to face. 

“Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking" so wrote Antonio Machado in one of his most famous poems: by walking side by side we can achieve many important goals. Together, we believe in research.