When sport together with others is part of the cure

Pedaling in the Crete Senesi

di Francesca Conti

There is something special that happens when fatigue merges with the beauty of the landscape, when illness meets the strength of the group, and when the bicycle becomes more than a means: a cure. All this happened, and much more, during the ride organized by AICARM in the suggestive Crete Senesi, an event that combined sport, awareness and friendship. Marco, Sandro and Salvatore, three of the participants told us about the two days with passion and a pinch of emotion.
Marco, a volunteer for AICARM, describes the event as a testing ground for a strong message: sport is part of the cure. Once upon a time, a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy meant completely abandoning physical activity. Today, with the right precautions and under medical supervision, sport is a fundamental resource for body and mind.
Marco knows this well, not only as a volunteer, but also as a patient. The ride was a deeply personal moment for him, shared with others who experience the same pathology in different forms. He emotionally recounts how he was struck by the vitality of people with more serious conditions than his, some with defibrillators installed, yet full of energy and desire to live. “Being together helps us a lot,” he says, because sharing a common experience transforms fear into strength and limitations into possibilities. “We were like kids pedaling up the hills, laughing, joking. A different way of taking life.”
Sandro, who also suffers from cardiomyopathy, emphasizes the human aspect of the experience. For him, the beauty of the Sienese landscapes — already well known — almost took a back seat to the atmosphere that was created among the participants. “A magic was formed,” he says, “a bond between people who didn’t know each other, but who shared something profound.” It is this sense of community that gives value to the initiative, beyond the sporting aspect.
Sandro sees this event as a replicable model, perhaps with different paths to allow everyone to participate, regardless of their physical condition. “AICARM is made up of extraordinary people, led by top-level professionals, like the President. It is a reference association”.
Salvatore brings with him an intense story, made of broken dreams and redemptions. As a young man he was a promising cyclist and the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy at just 16 years old interrupted his career and changed his relationship with the bike, which became a symbol of a betrayal of destiny. After the surgery for the implantation of the defibrillator and the right treatment, thanks to the meeting with Professor Cecchi, Salvatore was able to get back on the saddle.
“For me it was a reconfirmed marriage,” he says with a smile. Today, thanks to the pedal-assisted bicycle, he travels up to 300 km a week. The ride in the Crete Senesi was an emotional journey for him: a return to the places of youth competitions, a comparison with other cyclist-patients, a rich and motivating human exchange. His wife also participated, following him in the car almost in the role of flagship, making the experience even more complete and shared.
From the words of Marco, Sandro and Salvatore a clear idea emerges: this ride was not just a sporting event, but a moment of authentic sharing, of rebirth, of hope. A community was born, even if only for two days, and from that community bonds were born that will last.
It is the demonstration that illness is not the end, but can be the beginning of a new way of living, where the body listens to itself, heals itself and moves together with others. And where, even in the hardest climbs, there is always a descent that makes you smile again.