Brotzu remembers Paolo Pizzi: tribute to the child who was the first organ donor in Sardinia

In January 1988, the extraordinary gesture of the family of Paolo Pizzi - who tragically died at just 11 years old - marked a historic turning point: the start of the transplant program in Sardinia, a revolution that at the time was made very complex by law. And now Arnas Brotzu remembers with gratitude the very young first donor: it has decided to dedicate the interview room of the Anesthesia and Resuscitation Department, directed by Dr. Maria Emilia Marcello, to him.

The inauguration will be held on Thursday, April 3 at 11:00 a.m., at the San Michele Hospital . Promoted by Dr. Antonio Manti, head of the Local Transplant Coordination Structure, it will be attended by Paolo's parents, the mayor of Sinnai (the little boy's hometown) Barbara Pusceddu, as well as the councilor for Health, Social Services and Public Education, Roberto Demontis.

Also present will be the doctors who in 1988 had the courage to overcome the stringent regulatory barriers of the time. Among them, Dr. Franco Meloni, then Health Director, Dr. Ugo Storelli, Dr. Paolo Pettinao and Dr. Pierfelice Todde, professionals whose commitment and determination made the first kidney transplant in Sardinia possible . A complex decision, but one that allowed the life of a young woman to be saved, transforming pain into hope.

A welcoming space will be inaugurated at the San Michele Hospital, designed to offer comfort and privacy to the families of hospitalized patients. An environment embellished by the artistic intervention of Giorgio Casu. The project was made possible thanks to the sensitivity of Dr. Roberto Tumbarello, a pillar of the Company for years, and the constant support of the General Manager Agnese Foddis .

The story of Paolo Pizzi is one that must not be forgotten. In January 1988, while playing on his bicycle, he was hit by a car. His condition immediately appeared desperate and, in a moment of unimaginable suffering, his parents found the strength to make an extraordinary gesture: to say yes to organ donation . That consent became a light of hope, paving the way for a new culture of solidarity and life. Today Paolo rests in the cemetery of Sinnai, but his memory lives on in the hearts of those who have received a new opportunity thanks to him and in the doctors who, with passion and dedication, have continued the path he began.

(Online Union)