“I became Bianca’s mother, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.” The story of Emanuela

Emanuela Sabbatini lives in Rome and is now 46 years old. She had 29 when he received a diagnosis of cancer breast: «At that age one thinks of something completely different! He is in full energy and with many goals to want to achieve. For me it meant a “rebirth”. I had to make sense of it, as I usually do in everything that happens to me. It was part of a drawing. A rebirth as a woman, in my depth, learning to accept change and to move forward ».

Emanuela, yoga teacher, was and is used to feeling deeply: «In September 2005 I was diagnosed with the disease, but I was almost aware of it: I felt that something was wrong inside me. I went to theNational Cancer Institute of Rome Regina Elena: I first had an ultrasound, then a mammogram … All the tests led to a single diagnosis: breast cancer. After two days I am operated on urgently: total mastectomy and via the axillary lymph nodes. I was afraid, I have to admit, but I didn’t have to get caught up in this feeling. It was more important to take care of myself and deal with the problem right away. I felt a strength and courage I never had before. I couldn’t stop my smile. “

Although the tumor seems to have deprived her of many things, including her femininity, Emanuela did not feel deprived of anything: «I didn’t give her the chance. On the contrary! I made a list of everything I wanted to do, precisely because I had to go on and not be stopped. The list was short… Because then in reality I made many more! ».

An explosive force, Emanuela, a fire that the tumor ignited even more instead of extinguishing it: “The tumor has made me much more selfless. I always put myself in other people’s shoes. The strength and courage remained and thanks to this I can be of help to people in need. You know, I realized even more that every time you fall there is a lesson to be learned. In my case, cancer has taught me a lot, it will seem absurd. I touched the pain, the fear, the will to live, the will to do, which I would never really understand if not with this experience. It gave me the push to make important decisions without fear of anything, it helped me grow very fast“.

The disease made Emanuela clearly understand what she wanted to do when she grew up: in 2013 she inaugurated, thanks to the help of some friends, the Onlus AFLIN – Filo di Luce India, of which he is President: «After my illness, one of the things I wanted to do was visit India. Not because I wanted to “find myself”, as they often say, but having studied yoga for years, I was curious to understand more of this immense country. So I wanted to do a simple socio-cultural research. So I found myself in love with India and felt that I had to be of help to women and children.

My Onlus has the goal of avoid child marriages, thus giving the opportunity especially to girls to go to school. This is the biggest project. Then we deal with supporting women victims of domestic violence. We do projects related to public health such as the construction of bathrooms for the lacking families. We collect used clothes in good condition to give it new life. We provide for emergencies, for example during the Covid-19 pandemic we have helped many families by providing food and medical supplies. Other projects are in the works! There is a lot to do and living in close contact with families, projects are born every day in a very simple way and out of real need ».

In 2020, then, another great, very great “project”: the birth of his daughter Bianca. “A true miracle. I had closed this dream in my heart, since it was practically impossible for me. Instead! Once again I have learned that anything can happen and that life is a constant change. How am I with Bianca? I fill her with love, but I am also strict. I like to teach her little rules that will help her grow. Simple rules, like a game. I talk to her a lot and explain everything she sees. She is a very attentive and curious child. What I feel like doing for her is making her a woman capable of facing life. I finally managed to take her to India with me and her greatest emotion is seeing her greet all the people she meets on the street, from the professional who spends 24 hours with her to the beggar sitting on the street. She makes them all smile! This little gesture of her greeting from her is like a touch of love that she gives unconditionally to every passerby and their smile is like a gesture of gratitude ».

Gratitude it is also the one that flows in Emanuela’s veins, towards life, despite everything, but not only: «A great one thanks go to my doctorsin particular to Dr. Emilio Briaresearcher AIRC, who followed me as an oncologist and who also supported me psychologically. After the surgery, I underwent experimental chemotherapy, thanks to the tireless work of the researchers, who had identified a new cure for me. Fortunately, if I am well today, after 17 years, it is also thanks to them. But I can say that I already felt healed at the end of my therapies. There Research it is fundamental: to support it is to support life. Then thanks to my family: we made a special journey, all together. This is the meaning of travel. Of the whole life ».

Other stories of Vanity Fair that may interest you are:

Right to be forgotten oncology: “I am not my tumor”

Ovarian cancer: what it is and what there is (still) to know