![\"\"](\"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/att2-linda-768x512.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOver 600 events in eleven years, a network that has gradually expanded from the City of Venice to the Metropolitan City and now involves healthcare institutions, associations, the sports community, volunteer organizations, and local groups. This is \u201cOttobre Rosa\u201d (Pink October), the campaign promoted by the City of Venice to foster a culture of prevention and early diagnosis of women\u2019s cancers, raising awareness among women about the importance of regular checkups and screenings. <\/p>\n
Launched in 2015, the initiative has gradually expanded its scope, spreading the message of health through now-recognizable symbols such as the Pink Vaporetto and the Pink Bus. From 2015 to 2025, 531 initiatives were carried out; this year, with over 85 new events, the total will easily exceed 600. The program combines prevention efforts with opportunities for education, sports, culture, discussion, and social interaction. <\/p>\n
Ermelinda Damiano, a city councilor responsible for, among other things, Social Cohesion, Social Policies, Health Planning, Youth Policies, Relations with Volunteer Organizations, Women\u2019s Rights, and Equal Opportunity, recounts the origins and evolution of the project. From 2015 to 2026, she served as president of the Venice City Council, a role in which she launched \u201cOttobre Rosa.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Councilmember Damiano, where did the idea for Pink October come from?<\/b><\/p>\n
Pink October began with me, when I took office as president of the City Council in 2015. It was an initiative that had never been carried out in Venice before. The impetus also came from a personal experience, which I\u2019ve never had any trouble sharing: my mother, Maria Rosaria, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 39. I was a teenager at the time, and I was with her every step of the way through her illness, her treatments, and her battle against a highly invasive and aggressive form of cancer. During those years, I became acquainted with Lilt Venice, one of the organizations that still plays a leading role in Pink October today, and I met people who helped not only my mother but also me, supporting me as I navigated that experience. When I became president of the City Council, the then-president of Lilt, Maria Grazia Cevolani\u2014whom I had met during that very journey\u2014asked me to do something to promote breast cancer prevention. I was struck by the fact that, up until that point, she had not found any institutions willing to support her efforts. It seemed important to me to take action, because we\u2019re talking about the most common form of cancer among women. She had simply suggested lighting up the city\u2019s buildings, but I thought that wasn\u2019t enough. The lighting could serve as a symbol, but above all, we needed to build a local network involving healthcare facilities\u2014which would provide scientific expertise\u2014and the organizations that support patients on a daily basis. <\/p>\n
Over the past eleven years, that network has grown significantly. How has the project changed? <\/b><\/p>\n
We\u2019ve managed to involve not only associations that work directly with cancer patients, but also many other groups that have chosen to contribute: sports associations, volunteer organizations, doctors, and cultural institutions. Some organize conferences and meetings, others raise funds, and still others promote prevention through sports. It has become a collaborative effort. A key milestone was the arrival of Alilaguna\u2019s \u201cVaporetto Rosa\u201d (Pink Waterbus). It has become one of the symbols of Venice\u2019s \u201cPink October\u201d: on board, doctors from the Breast Unit provide free breast exams, and awareness-raising activities are also organized. The vaporetto is present at major city events, from the Venice Marathon to the Venice Hospitality Challenge, all the way to the Sagra del Mosto in Sant\u2019Erasmo. It\u2019s a highly visible mode of transportation, even on an international level, because Venice is traversed daily by people from all over the world. The message of prevention travels across the water, in Italian and English. Later, the \u201cPink Bus\u201d was launched with a different but equally important role: to bring the message of prevention to the mainland. The project then began to involve municipalities within the Metropolitan City of Venice. Venice has become a regional hub for Pink October, but today many municipalities participate with their own initiatives. In this way, the message reaches an ever-wider audience and an increasing number of women. <\/p>\n
To what extent has this work influenced participation in prevention efforts?<\/b><\/p>\n
The health authority has also highlighted these results to us. All this awareness-raising work\u2014which is a collective effort\u2014has contributed to higher participation in cancer screening programs. Until a few years ago, it was more difficult to reach women; today participation has increased, and Venice ranks among the areas with the highest screening rates, from mammograms to cervical cancer prevention programs. At one point, we were asked to extend this same approach to men\u2019s health, and that\u2019s how Movember came about, dedicated to men\u2019s cancer prevention. But the result isn\u2019t just about the numbers. Seeing a city turn pink for such an important cause means building community. For a long time, the word \u201ccancer\u201d was surrounded by fear and silence. This initiative has also helped change the cultural mindset: talking about prevention means learning to take care of oneself, understanding one\u2019s own body, adopting healthy lifestyles, exercising, not smoking, and above all, realizing that prevention begins long before the age of screening. It must become a cultural norm that guides people from a young age. <\/p>\n
Among the key figures are the \u201cWomen in Pink.\u201d How important is their testimony? <\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, they are the true stars of Pink October. They are women who have faced the disease and, through their experiences, have become examples of resilience and courage. In a way, that\u2019s what my mother was to me. Their stories have become part of our community\u2019s collective narrative because they\u2019ve shared them, giving courage to other women who may be facing the disease and struggling to open up or find the strength to fight back. I\u2019m thinking of the Dragon Boat\u2014which is important to these women not only physically but also psychologically. Being together, sharing an experience, and feeling part of a group is incredibly valuable. Over the years, we\u2019ve sadly lost some of them, and those were painful moments for all of us, but the bond remains incredibly strong. And the best part is that the movement has expanded: today we have the Pink Lioness in Venice, the Pink Fire from LILT, and the Trifoglio Rosa in Mestre, and this year the Onde Rosa were also founded on the Lido. It\u2019s a movement that spans the entire city and shows just how many women have believed in this project. <\/p>\n
So is Pink October about prevention, but also about building a sense of community?<\/b><\/p>\n
I believe it\u2019s both. The project is first and foremost about information, because when we talk about disease and treatment, we need to provide accurate information and let people know about the services available in their area. In Venice, we have an outstanding Breast Unit, led by Dr. Guido Papaccio, who, incidentally, was the doctor who operated on my mother. It\u2019s an extraordinary team and serves as an important point of reference. But Pink October also provides concrete help to women facing the disease, support for the organizations that assist patients and their families every day, and fundraising. And it\u2019s a great collective experience, in which both women and men participate\u2014from the historic center to the mainland, all the way to the islands. This is perhaps its most beautiful aspect: bringing out the human side of a community. <\/p>\n
What will be the highlight of this year’s event?<\/b><\/p>\n
The Pink Vaporetto will once again take center stage: we\u2019ve decided to focus its route primarily on areas farthest from healthcare facilities, precisely to bring breast cancer screenings closer to women. I\u2019m thinking of the Lido, Pellestrina, Sant\u2019Erasmo, Burano, and the Giudecca: more remote areas where it\u2019s important to bring preventive services directly to the people. Among the new events will be the Italian Dragon Boat Tournament in Sant\u2019Alvise, which will feature the National LILT Trophy. The national president of LILT and the \u201cWomen in Pink\u201d from various regions will be in attendance. It\u2019s a major sporting event making its debut on the Pink October calendar, and it perfectly encapsulates the relationship between sports, prevention, social engagement, and support for those who have battled the disease. <\/p>\n
Finally, what message would you like to convey to women and the general public?<\/b><\/p>\n
The message I\u2019d like to share with everyone is to take care of yourselves. You need to be mindful of your own body, pay attention to any changes, and not take your health for granted. I\u2019ve experienced this firsthand with my mother, and I\u2019m convinced that health is our most precious asset: when it\u2019s gone, everything is gone. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to get the necessary checkups regularly\u2014not by making prevention an obsession, but simply by making it a good habit. And then there\u2019s a second appeal, one that concerns the entire community: don\u2019t turn a blind eye to those who are battling an illness. Those facing cancer treatment need support, companionship, and even moments of lightheartedness. In the same way, we must support the organizations that, with great generosity, work every day alongside patients and their families. <\/p>\n
Stefano Nava<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":22025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2007],"tags":[3275,3273,3274,1999],"class_list":["post-22030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-green-salus","tag-ermelinda-damiano","tag-pink-october","tag-vaporetto","tag-venice"],"acf":{"categoria":[2007],"categoria_source":{"label":"Category","type":"taxonomy","formatted_value":[{"term_id":2007,"name":"Green\/Salus","slug":"green-salus","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2007,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":34,"filter":"raw"}]},"sottotitolo_h2":"Women's Cancer Awareness Month: Screenings, Checkups, and More","sottotitolo_h2_source":{"label":"Subtitle","type":"text","formatted_value":"Women's Cancer Awareness Month: Screenings, Checkups, and More"},"immagini_principale":{"ID":22025,"id":22025,"title":"Screenshot","filename":"web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","filesize":692610,"url":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","link":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/en\/prevention-through-pink-october-dozens-of-initiatives-starting-in-venice-and-spreading-throughout-the-region\/screenshot-29-2\/","alt":"","author":"34","description":"","caption":"Screenshot","name":"screenshot-29-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":22030,"date":"2026-10-01 11:48:43","modified":"2026-10-01 14:59:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1505,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-768x612.jpg","medium-width":768,"medium-height":612,"medium_large":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-768x612.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":612,"large":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":638,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","1536x1536-width":1505,"1536x1536-height":1200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","2048x2048-width":1505,"2048x2048-height":1200,"mailpoet_newsletter_max":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-1320x1052.jpg","mailpoet_newsletter_max-width":1320,"mailpoet_newsletter_max-height":1052}},"immagini_principale_source":{"label":"Main images","type":"image","formatted_value":{"ID":22025,"id":22025,"title":"Screenshot","filename":"web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","filesize":692610,"url":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","link":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/en\/prevention-through-pink-october-dozens-of-initiatives-starting-in-venice-and-spreading-throughout-the-region\/screenshot-29-2\/","alt":"","author":"34","description":"","caption":"Screenshot","name":"screenshot-29-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":22030,"date":"2026-10-01 11:48:43","modified":"2026-10-01 14:59:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1505,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-768x612.jpg","medium-width":768,"medium-height":612,"medium_large":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-768x612.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":612,"large":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":638,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","1536x1536-width":1505,"1536x1536-height":1200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-e1790949688425.jpg","2048x2048-width":1505,"2048x2048-height":1200,"mailpoet_newsletter_max":"https:\/\/test.gvperte.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/web-vaporetto-1320x1052.jpg","mailpoet_newsletter_max-width":1320,"mailpoet_newsletter_max-height":1052}}},"introduzione":"
Over 600 events in eleven years, a network that has gradually expanded from the City of Venice to the Metropolitan City and now involves healthcare institutions, associations, the sports community, volunteer organizations, and local groups. This is \u201cOttobre Rosa\u201d (Pink October), the campaign promoted by the City of Venice to foster a culture of prevention and early diagnosis of women\u2019s cancers, raising awareness among women about the importance of regular checkups and screenings. <\/p>\n
Launched in 2015, the initiative has gradually expanded its scope, spreading the message of health through now-recognizable symbols such as the Pink Vaporetto and the Pink Bus. From 2015 to 2025, 531 initiatives were carried out; this year, with over 85 new events, the total will easily exceed 600. The program combines prevention efforts with opportunities for education, sports, culture, discussion, and social interaction. <\/p>\n
Ermelinda Damiano, a city councilor responsible for, among other things, Social Cohesion, Social Policies, Health Planning, Youth Policies, Relations with Volunteer Organizations, Women\u2019s Rights, and Equal Opportunity, recounts the origins and evolution of the project. From 2015 to 2026, she served as president of the Venice City Council, a role in which she launched \u201cOttobre Rosa.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
Councilmember Damiano, where did the idea for Pink October come from?<\/b><\/p>\n
Pink October began with me, when I took office as president of the City Council in 2015. It was an initiative that had never been carried out in Venice before. The impetus also came from a personal experience, which I\u2019ve never had any trouble sharing: my mother, Maria Rosaria, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 39. I was a teenager at the time, and I was with her every step of the way through her illness, her treatments, and her battle against a highly invasive and aggressive form of cancer. During those years, I became acquainted with Lilt Venice, one of the organizations that still plays a leading role in Pink October today, and I met people who helped not only my mother but also me, supporting me as I navigated that experience. When I became president of the City Council, the then-president of Lilt, Maria Grazia Cevolani\u2014whom I had met during that very journey\u2014asked me to do something to promote breast cancer prevention. I was struck by the fact that, up until that point, she had not found any institutions willing to support her efforts. It seemed important to me to take action, because we\u2019re talking about the most common form of cancer among women. She had simply suggested lighting up the city\u2019s buildings, but I thought that wasn\u2019t enough. The lighting could serve as a symbol, but above all, we needed to build a local network involving healthcare facilities\u2014which would provide scientific expertise\u2014and the organizations that support patients on a daily basis. <\/p>\n
Over the past eleven years, that network has grown significantly. How has the project changed? <\/b><\/p>\n
We\u2019ve managed to involve not only associations that work directly with cancer patients, but also many other groups that have chosen to contribute: sports associations, volunteer organizations, doctors, and cultural institutions. Some organize conferences and meetings, others raise funds, and still others promote prevention through sports. It has become a collaborative effort. A key milestone was the arrival of Alilaguna\u2019s \u201cVaporetto Rosa\u201d (Pink Waterbus). It has become one of the symbols of Venice\u2019s \u201cPink October\u201d: on board, doctors from the Breast Unit provide free breast exams, and awareness-raising activities are also organized. The vaporetto is present at major city events, from the Venice Marathon to the Venice Hospitality Challenge, all the way to the Sagra del Mosto in Sant\u2019Erasmo. It\u2019s a highly visible mode of transportation, even on an international level, because Venice is traversed daily by people from all over the world. The message of prevention travels across the water, in Italian and English. Later, the \u201cPink Bus\u201d was launched with a different but equally important role: to bring the message of prevention to the mainland. The project then began to involve municipalities within the Metropolitan City of Venice. Venice has become a regional hub for Pink October, but today many municipalities participate with their own initiatives. In this way, the message reaches an ever-wider audience and an increasing number of women. <\/p>\n
To what extent has this work influenced participation in prevention efforts?<\/b><\/p>\n
The health authority has also highlighted these results to us. All this awareness-raising work\u2014which is a collective effort\u2014has contributed to higher participation in cancer screening programs. Until a few years ago, it was more difficult to reach women; today participation has increased, and Venice ranks among the areas with the highest screening rates, from mammograms to cervical cancer prevention programs. At one point, we were asked to extend this same approach to men\u2019s health, and that\u2019s how Movember came about, dedicated to men\u2019s cancer prevention. But the result isn\u2019t just about the numbers. Seeing a city turn pink for such an important cause means building community. For a long time, the word \u201ccancer\u201d was surrounded by fear and silence. This initiative has also helped change the cultural mindset: talking about prevention means learning to take care of oneself, understanding one\u2019s own body, adopting healthy lifestyles, exercising, not smoking, and above all, realizing that prevention begins long before the age of screening. It must become a cultural norm that guides people from a young age. <\/p>\n
Among the key figures are the \u201cWomen in Pink.\u201d How important is their testimony? <\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, they are the true stars of Pink October. They are women who have faced the disease and, through their experiences, have become examples of resilience and courage. In a way, that\u2019s what my mother was to me. Their stories have become part of our community\u2019s collective narrative because they\u2019ve shared them, giving courage to other women who may be facing the disease and struggling to open up or find the strength to fight back. I\u2019m thinking of the Dragon Boat\u2014which is important to these women not only physically but also psychologically. Being together, sharing an experience, and feeling part of a group is incredibly valuable. Over the years, we\u2019ve sadly lost some of them, and those were painful moments for all of us, but the bond remains incredibly strong. And the best part is that the movement has expanded: today we have the Pink Lioness in Venice, the Pink Fire from LILT, and the Trifoglio Rosa in Mestre, and this year the Onde Rosa were also founded on the Lido. It\u2019s a movement that spans the entire city and shows just how many women have believed in this project. <\/p>\n
So is Pink October about prevention, but also about building a sense of community?<\/b><\/p>\n
I believe it\u2019s both. The project is first and foremost about information, because when we talk about disease and treatment, we need to provide accurate information and let people know about the services available in their area. In Venice, we have an outstanding Breast Unit, led by Dr. Guido Papaccio, who, incidentally, was the doctor who operated on my mother. It\u2019s an extraordinary team and serves as an important point of reference. But Pink October also provides concrete help to women facing the disease, support for the organizations that assist patients and their families every day, and fundraising. And it\u2019s a great collective experience, in which both women and men participate\u2014from the historic center to the mainland, all the way to the islands. This is perhaps its most beautiful aspect: bringing out the human side of a community. <\/p>\n
What will be the highlight of this year's event?<\/b><\/p>\n
The Pink Vaporetto will once again take center stage: we\u2019ve decided to focus its route primarily on areas farthest from healthcare facilities, precisely to bring breast cancer screenings closer to women. I\u2019m thinking of the Lido, Pellestrina, Sant\u2019Erasmo, Burano, and the Giudecca: more remote areas where it\u2019s important to bring preventive services directly to the people. Among the new events will be the Italian Dragon Boat Tournament in Sant\u2019Alvise, which will feature the National LILT Trophy. The national president of LILT and the \u201cWomen in Pink\u201d from various regions will be in attendance. It\u2019s a major sporting event making its debut on the Pink October calendar, and it perfectly encapsulates the relationship between sports, prevention, social engagement, and support for those who have battled the disease. <\/p>\n
Finally, what message would you like to convey to women and the general public?<\/b><\/p>\n
The message I\u2019d like to share with everyone is to take care of yourselves. You need to be mindful of your own body, pay attention to any changes, and not take your health for granted. I\u2019ve experienced this firsthand with my mother, and I\u2019m convinced that health is our most precious asset: when it\u2019s gone, everything is gone. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to get the necessary checkups regularly\u2014not by making prevention an obsession, but simply by making it a good habit. And then there\u2019s a second appeal, one that concerns the entire community: don\u2019t turn a blind eye to those who are battling an illness. Those facing cancer treatment need support, companionship, and even moments of lightheartedness. In the same way, we must support the organizations that, with great generosity, work every day alongside patients and their families. <\/p>\n
Stefano Nava<\/b><\/p>","introduzione_source":{"label":"Introduction","type":"wysiwyg","formatted_value":"
Over 600 events in eleven years, a network that has gradually expanded from the City of Venice to the Metropolitan City and now involves healthcare institutions, associations, the sports community, volunteer organizations, and local groups. This is \u201cOttobre Rosa\u201d (Pink October), the campaign promoted by the City of Venice to foster a culture of prevention and early diagnosis of women\u2019s cancers, raising awareness among women about the importance of regular checkups and screenings. <\/p>\n
Launched in 2015, the initiative has gradually expanded its scope, spreading the message of health through now-recognizable symbols such as the Pink Vaporetto and the Pink Bus. From 2015 to 2025, 531 initiatives were carried out; this year, with over 85 new events, the total will easily exceed 600. The program combines prevention efforts with opportunities for education, sports, culture, discussion, and social interaction. <\/p>\n
Ermelinda Damiano, a city councilor responsible for, among other things, Social Cohesion, Social Policies, Health Planning, Youth Policies, Relations with Volunteer Organizations, Women\u2019s Rights, and Equal Opportunity, recounts the origins and evolution of the project. From 2015 to 2026, she served as president of the Venice City Council, a role in which she launched \u201cOttobre Rosa.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Councilmember Damiano, where did the idea for Pink October come from?<\/b><\/p>\n
Pink October began with me, when I took office as president of the City Council in 2015. It was an initiative that had never been carried out in Venice before. The impetus also came from a personal experience, which I\u2019ve never had any trouble sharing: my mother, Maria Rosaria, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 39. I was a teenager at the time, and I was with her every step of the way through her illness, her treatments, and her battle against a highly invasive and aggressive form of cancer. During those years, I became acquainted with Lilt Venice, one of the organizations that still plays a leading role in Pink October today, and I met people who helped not only my mother but also me, supporting me as I navigated that experience. When I became president of the City Council, the then-president of Lilt, Maria Grazia Cevolani\u2014whom I had met during that very journey\u2014asked me to do something to promote breast cancer prevention. I was struck by the fact that, up until that point, she had not found any institutions willing to support her efforts. It seemed important to me to take action, because we\u2019re talking about the most common form of cancer among women. She had simply suggested lighting up the city\u2019s buildings, but I thought that wasn\u2019t enough. The lighting could serve as a symbol, but above all, we needed to build a local network involving healthcare facilities\u2014which would provide scientific expertise\u2014and the organizations that support patients on a daily basis. <\/p>\n
Over the past eleven years, that network has grown significantly. How has the project changed? <\/b><\/p>\n
We\u2019ve managed to involve not only associations that work directly with cancer patients, but also many other groups that have chosen to contribute: sports associations, volunteer organizations, doctors, and cultural institutions. Some organize conferences and meetings, others raise funds, and still others promote prevention through sports. It has become a collaborative effort. A key milestone was the arrival of Alilaguna\u2019s \u201cVaporetto Rosa\u201d (Pink Waterbus). It has become one of the symbols of Venice\u2019s \u201cPink October\u201d: on board, doctors from the Breast Unit provide free breast exams, and awareness-raising activities are also organized. The vaporetto is present at major city events, from the Venice Marathon to the Venice Hospitality Challenge, all the way to the Sagra del Mosto in Sant\u2019Erasmo. It\u2019s a highly visible mode of transportation, even on an international level, because Venice is traversed daily by people from all over the world. The message of prevention travels across the water, in Italian and English. Later, the \u201cPink Bus\u201d was launched with a different but equally important role: to bring the message of prevention to the mainland. The project then began to involve municipalities within the Metropolitan City of Venice. Venice has become a regional hub for Pink October, but today many municipalities participate with their own initiatives. In this way, the message reaches an ever-wider audience and an increasing number of women. <\/p>\n
To what extent has this work influenced participation in prevention efforts?<\/b><\/p>\n
The health authority has also highlighted these results to us. All this awareness-raising work\u2014which is a collective effort\u2014has contributed to higher participation in cancer screening programs. Until a few years ago, it was more difficult to reach women; today participation has increased, and Venice ranks among the areas with the highest screening rates, from mammograms to cervical cancer prevention programs. At one point, we were asked to extend this same approach to men\u2019s health, and that\u2019s how Movember came about, dedicated to men\u2019s cancer prevention. But the result isn\u2019t just about the numbers. Seeing a city turn pink for such an important cause means building community. For a long time, the word \u201ccancer\u201d was surrounded by fear and silence. This initiative has also helped change the cultural mindset: talking about prevention means learning to take care of oneself, understanding one\u2019s own body, adopting healthy lifestyles, exercising, not smoking, and above all, realizing that prevention begins long before the age of screening. It must become a cultural norm that guides people from a young age. <\/p>\n
Among the key figures are the \u201cWomen in Pink.\u201d How important is their testimony? <\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, they are the true stars of Pink October. They are women who have faced the disease and, through their experiences, have become examples of resilience and courage. In a way, that\u2019s what my mother was to me. Their stories have become part of our community\u2019s collective narrative because they\u2019ve shared them, giving courage to other women who may be facing the disease and struggling to open up or find the strength to fight back. I\u2019m thinking of the Dragon Boat\u2014which is important to these women not only physically but also psychologically. Being together, sharing an experience, and feeling part of a group is incredibly valuable. Over the years, we\u2019ve sadly lost some of them, and those were painful moments for all of us, but the bond remains incredibly strong. And the best part is that the movement has expanded: today we have the Pink Lioness in Venice, the Pink Fire from LILT, and the Trifoglio Rosa in Mestre, and this year the Onde Rosa were also founded on the Lido. It\u2019s a movement that spans the entire city and shows just how many women have believed in this project. <\/p>\n
So is Pink October about prevention, but also about building a sense of community?<\/b><\/p>\n
I believe it\u2019s both. The project is first and foremost about information, because when we talk about disease and treatment, we need to provide accurate information and let people know about the services available in their area. In Venice, we have an outstanding Breast Unit, led by Dr. Guido Papaccio, who, incidentally, was the doctor who operated on my mother. It\u2019s an extraordinary team and serves as an important point of reference. But Pink October also provides concrete help to women facing the disease, support for the organizations that assist patients and their families every day, and fundraising. And it\u2019s a great collective experience, in which both women and men participate\u2014from the historic center to the mainland, all the way to the islands. This is perhaps its most beautiful aspect: bringing out the human side of a community. <\/p>\n
What will be the highlight of this year’s event?<\/b><\/p>\n
The Pink Vaporetto will once again take center stage: we\u2019ve decided to focus its route primarily on areas farthest from healthcare facilities, precisely to bring breast cancer screenings closer to women. I\u2019m thinking of the Lido, Pellestrina, Sant\u2019Erasmo, Burano, and the Giudecca: more remote areas where it\u2019s important to bring preventive services directly to the people. Among the new events will be the Italian Dragon Boat Tournament in Sant\u2019Alvise, which will feature the National LILT Trophy. The national president of LILT and the \u201cWomen in Pink\u201d from various regions will be in attendance. It\u2019s a major sporting event making its debut on the Pink October calendar, and it perfectly encapsulates the relationship between sports, prevention, social engagement, and support for those who have battled the disease. <\/p>\n
Finally, what message would you like to convey to women and the general public?<\/b><\/p>\n
The message I\u2019d like to share with everyone is to take care of yourselves. You need to be mindful of your own body, pay attention to any changes, and not take your health for granted. I\u2019ve experienced this firsthand with my mother, and I\u2019m convinced that health is our most precious asset: when it\u2019s gone, everything is gone. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to get the necessary checkups regularly\u2014not by making prevention an obsession, but simply by making it a good habit. And then there\u2019s a second appeal, one that concerns the entire community: don\u2019t turn a blind eye to those who are battling an illness. Those facing cancer treatment need support, companionship, and even moments of lightheartedness. In the same way, we must support the organizations that, with great generosity, work every day alongside patients and their families. <\/p>\n
Stefano Nava<\/b><\/p>\n"},"paragrafi_articolo":null,"paragrafi_articolo_source":{"label":"Article Paragraphs","type":"repeater","formatted_value":false},"parole_chiave":[],"parole_chiave_source":{"label":"Keywords.","type":"taxonomy","formatted_value":false},"autore_esterno":"Stefano Nava","autore_esterno_source":{"label":"Autore Esterno","type":"text","formatted_value":"Stefano Nava"}},"yoast_head":"\n