The last lesson of Paola Marella: “I want to live”. Her husband Domenico tells the solidarity project in his name: “It was an engine of optimism, until the end”

When he decided to cut his hair, Paola Marella wanted to photograph herself. He was facing pancreas cancer and, together with his hairdresser – who was also a dear friend – he chose a new hairstyle. To that series of images, saved on his computer, he gave a simple and powerful name: “I want to live”.

To tell it is Domenico Traversa, the husband who was next to her until the last day of her life: an beloved architect and face of television, Paola Marella disappeared on September 20, at just 61 years old. “Here, that was her way of dealing with things,” says her husband today. “It’s not that it was cheerful, far from it. But He tried to live the newspaper as normally as possible. For her, life had to be livedAnyway”.

Today Domenico is among the promoters of the Paola Marella Foundation, born to support those who face the same illness. AND from 9 to 11 Mayin the fabric hall in via San Gregorio 29 in Milan, comes to life The first big charity event dedicated to her: Edited by Paola. A solidarity initiative that brings together design, fashion, furnishing and beauty companies, all ready to donate its products. Each object was carefully selected, as if she chose it was her: refined taste, sober elegance, love for details.

How it was born Edited by Paola?
«From a chat with Paride Vitale, his dear friend. We said: “We have to do something that really reflects its taste”. We started involving friends, designers, fashion people, colleagues. Everyone responded with enthusiasm. She all headed us, wanding us, and her way of life has remained in each of us. The name of the event came alone: ​​each object seems chosen by her ».

Paola was much loved by the public, but did not like the spotlight.
“He never did anything to get visibility. But I am sure that the end of the event would convince him. All revenues will go to the Paola Marella Foundation to finance a concrete project, in collaboration with the San Raffaele Hospital: a training program for Under 35 Oncologists, designed to improve the care of pancreas cancer. It is a difficult disease, still little known, with few resources and a lot of suffering for patients ».

How did your story started?
«We would have celebrated thirty years of marriage last week. I was working abroad, and perhaps this also helped make things last. But we survived the adventures of life. In the last three or four years we have joined even more: I left the job to stand by her, to look for therapies and treatments everywhere. She continued to work until the last. Of course, there were hard moments, but knowing how to smile together makes the difference. That was our secret ».

What are you missing most today?
“All. Paola was very present, a real organizer. Daughter of an engineer, and she himself missed engineer. He had order, rigor, but also so much affection for his family, friends, work. He was a “cumbersome” character at home, but deeply reassuring ».

Who was Paola away from the cameras?
«A reserved woman. He did not like worldliness: he participated in events only for duty, and then he gladly returned among his books, his things. His Comfort Zone. He loved Formentera, he dreamed of living us longer. And he was demanding first of all with herself: things had to be done well, always ».

What made her happy?
«Our son Nicola. His successes, the degree, the work that today brought him abroad. They had a strong bond, she sent him his values. Seeing him realized was his biggest dream ».

How did you experience the disease?
«Always together. From treatments to nutrition, 24 hours a day. It affected me his strength of mind. It was an engine of optimism. And many – even very sick people – leaned on her, found a point of reference in her. She was always ready to listen. “

In 2013 he had already faced a very hard test.
“He fell ill with breast cancer and suffered a double mastectomy, but the intervention did not go well. She did not give up: she also worked in August with two chest drainage bags around Italy. He said he was lucky, compared to women who had more disabling diseases. “

What trace would you like to leave Paola, through what he is doing?
«As far as possible, I don’t want his enthusiasm and his smile to be forgotten. My will is that that light does not turn off ».