#Humanitariancorridors. Two small Syrian Patients treated in Ragusa

Rome (NEV), January 15, 2018 – In Ragusa (Sicily), a virtuous synergy between churches, civil society, health workers and volunteers allowed two Syrian brothers to be treated, in a very short time, for a very serious disease. The two children arrived on October 27 last at the Rome-Fiumicino airport with theirs parents, thanks to a humanitarian corridor from Lebanon, and were welcomed at the “House of Cultures” in Scicli (Ragusa), a project of Mediterranean Hope (MH) – Refugees and migrants program of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI). FCEI is one of the promoters, together with the Community of St. Egidio and the Waldensian Board, of the “humanitarian corridors project” through which more than 1000 particularly vulnerable refugees were safely brought to Italy. This is the case of the two brothers, suffering from a severe form of hereditary anaemia: thalassodrepanocytosis.

Giovanna Scifo, responsible person for the House of Cultures, explains that the children are now at their third transfusion and rejoices at how they have been taken care of with utmost empathy by the local Thalassemia Center of the National Health System, notwithstanding the temporary lack of documents, showing great sensitiveness and willingness. To take care of the bureaucratic and financial aspects, was Dr. Giuseppe Tavolino, president of the Sicilian Federation of associations of thalassemia, hemoglobinopathies and sickle-cell anaemia. A thank you letter was sent to Dr. Tavolino and to the director of the Thalassemia Centre, by Giovanna Scifo.