A 50 kilometer journey along Sicily’s Ionian coast transformed a simple ride into a powerful message of inclusion, resilience and rehabilitation. Six employees of the IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo” of Messina accompanied two special tandems from Taormina to Messina, with two blind cyclists on board. An initiative that perfectly embodies the mission of the IRCCS: promoting sport as a therapeutic and social tool for patients with neurological disabilities.
The initiative, born as part of a cycling tour of the island led by two cyclists Chiara Ozino and Giusy Parisi, one of whom is blind, also committed to inclusion, featured managers and healthcare workers from the institute who decided to get involved to accompany the two blind athletes along a challenging but meaningful route. All in an exciting setting organized by the Soroptimist of Messina. The tandems, a symbol of trust and collaboration, crossed breathtaking landscapes, overcoming climbs and curves with determination and team spirit.
«This trip was not just a sporting gesture, but an act of sharing and hope», declared the General Director Lanza of the IRCCS Bonino Pulejo. «Sport, in our vision, is an integral part of the rehabilitation process. It’s not just about recovering motor functionality, but about restoring dignity, autonomy and a sense of belonging to people who face a disability.”
The IRCCS Bonino Pulejo has been a national point of reference for neurological rehabilitation for years, with programs that integrate physical and sporting activity into therapeutic protocols. The Institute collaborates with the Italian Paralympic Committee to offer patients opportunities for social reintegration through sport, both in the post-acute phase and in the long term.
The tandem initiative is part of a broader project to raise awareness on the topic of accessibility and inclusion, aimed at demonstrating that, with the right support, even the most hostile barriers can be overcome.
«This ride is another step after the crossing of the Strait in July with our patients who have become athletes” concluded the Director. «We want to build a sports and health network that puts the person, their potential and their right to live fully, beyond disability, at the center”
