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- DATE: 16-05-2020
- PLACE: Milan
COUNTRY OF PROVENANCE
Italy
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Cristina and the analogy between the cancer experience and COVID19
Cristina is one of the founders of the C6 Siloku association, which supports cancer patients in their cancer experience. Cristina herself had cancer and, as she says, after an experience like this one does not return to normal. Siloku was born from a desire, from the desire to give meaning and respect to the experience of the disease.
After chemotherapy, in fact, the patients live in limbo. They are left alone to face life with their own resources, which are often insufficient. They need support in such a delicate phase and turn to Siloku. The users are mainly women, perhaps more willing to ask for help than men.
Before Cristina worked as a salesperson for a company, cancer confronted her with the fact that “life is now“. Therefore, she quit her job and took on the responsibility of living life as she wanted. Today the association is her full-time job.
The desire for cultural change
Cristina’s desire related to her association is to find people who want to invest in Siloku, so as to be able to broaden the user base and initiatives. Cristina would like to generate a cultural change so that cancer is no longer a stigma. She also wants to give voice to all those patients who do not recover from the disease and who become metastatic, for whom there is no cure horizon, but are destined to live with the tumor.
Cristina would like to create new partnerships, such as the one already started with the Rowing Club and make theater projects. For the disease to no longer be a stigma, it must be present and evident in society. One can live with it – there is nothing wrong – it is part of life.
The experience of COVID19
There is an analogy between the experience of cancer and that of the coronavirus: the former life can no longer be lived. In this period, while limiting social interactions, one is more with oneself and looks more easily at one’s unresolved part, the one with which we usually do not want to conflict.
According to Cristina, right now “being” is more important than doing, and you can allow yourself to be with what is there, even with what you don’t like. For her, for example, insomnia has increased, she is still on hormone therapy and her immune system is weak so she has to pay much more attention … but she has accepted all this, and her resources are coming out .
Cristina never loses heart; she has experienced many traumas in life of which cancer was not the worst. Each time she managed to rise and give life to a new herself. In this period of quarantine, the part of herself that she draws from is the part that does not give up, that brings out the best with what is there, not looking to the past or to the future.
Nobody saves himself alone
The biggest lesson he has learned from cancer is that nobody saves themselves alone. Relationships, the group, the sense of deep intimacy with another human being, the sharing of values … these are the elements that give strength.
Cultivating relationships, however, is not easy, you have to “be” with the other, be authentic. If you are angry, afraid, it is worth expressing yourself, even if you come into conflict – if the other person is important to you. Being there is difficult, it means being seen and sometimes we don’t ourselves, let alone if we want others to see us!
It is true that people are more inclined to face big changes when something strong happens to them, when they are thrown out of their comfort zone, then space opens up for a new life. This may be the time to take time, be kind, empathize and change, for yourself and for those you love.
Cristina and her association are raising funds in this stalemate through the sale of masks, get more information by clicking here, you will be directed to the C6 Siloku website.
