AICARM Courses for Expert Patients: a consolidated reality that has changed the way of experiencing cardiomyopathy for hundreds of Italian families

In four years of specialized training, over 500 patients and family members throughout Italy have been involved, creating a network of aware and informed patients

In 2020, while Italy was facing the Covid-19 health emergency, AICARM (Italian Cardiomyopathy Association) gave life to an innovative and unprecedented project in the national panorama: the Courses for Expert Patients in Hereditary Myocardial Diseases.
No organization in Italy had ever thought of creating such a structured and complete, completely free for all participants, capable of putting patients with cardiomyopathy and their families in direct contact with the leading national experts in these complex and often little-known pathologies.

A pioneering project

The success of these courses was also made possible thanks to the voluntary contribution of dozens of specialists who donated their time, preparing content of the highest scientific level driven exclusively by passion for their profession and the desire to improve the lives of patients. This involvement was facilitated by the credibility and goals of AICARM, which was able to unite cardiologists and professionals expert in cardiomyopathy.

Four years of constant growth

Since the first course organized in Florence during the pandemic period, the initiative has recorded an extraordinary growth that testifies to the real need for information and support by the families involved:
  • 4 courses in Florence – the city that pioneered the project
  • 3 courses in Milan – bringing educational excellence to Northern Italy
  • 1 course each in Rome, Naples, Lucca and Arezzo – spreading knowledge across a wider territory
  • Over 500 total participants – patients and family members who have chosen to become active protagonists of their own health journey

A Revolutionary Approach to Patient Education

AICARM courses are much more than simple information meetings. They have become real personal growth laboratories where participants acquire the tools needed to deeply understand their condition and communicate with their doctors with greater awareness. The experts involved use accessible and scientifically rigorous language, allowing even those without medical training to understand complex aspects of cardiomyopathies. Each presentation is followed by question and answer sessions that allow for direct and personalized dialogue with the leading specialists in the sector.

”Expert Patients Course

The importance of human encounters

One of the most valuable aspects of these courses is the human dimension of the experience. For many participants, it represents the first opportunity to meet other people who share the same condition, discovering that they are not alone in their journey. This sharing of experiences creates a natural support network that goes beyond the training moment, generating bonds and exchanges of experiences that continue over time and enrich the quality of life of all participants.

The value of awareness

AICARM courses have demonstrated how quality information can radically transform a patient's approach to their disease. Participants consistently report feeling more confident in decisions related to their health, more prepared in meetings with medical specialists, and more relaxed in facing the daily challenges related to cardiomyopathy. This acquired awareness translates into better adherence to therapies, more appropriate lifestyle choices, and a general reduction in anxiety related to uncertainty about one's condition.

Towards new horizons: Sicily, Puglia and a new formula in Florence

The project continues its national expansion with the next appointment scheduled for September 27 in Ragusa Ibla, where some experts from the main Sicilian reference centers will also speak. This event represents an important milestone for AICARM, which brings this initiative to Sicily for the first time. The association's goal is clear: to reach all Italian regions, ensuring that every patient and family has access to quality information and the support of an aware community. After Sicily, the program will continue in Puglia and return to Florence with a completely renewed formula.
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How to Participate and Support the Initiative

To stay up to date on upcoming courses and AICARM initiatives, you can subscribe to AICARM news – the association's newsletter – or follow us on the website and on our social channels. The project continues to grow thanks to the support of those who believe in the importance of quality training and information.

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Courses for expert patients are now a consolidated reality that has changed the way of experiencing cardiomyopathy for hundreds of Italian families.