Frecciarosa 2016: prevention travels at high-speed
Rome, 30 September 2016
Once again this year from the 3rd to 14th October, a month dedicated to the prevention of illnesses that affect women, the transport company of the FS Italiane Group is heavily supporting and taking part - by providing its own trains - in the sixth edition of the Frecciarosa 2016 awareness campaign, promoted with the non-profit IncontraDonna Association and with sponsorship from the Ministry of Health. This initiative, supported by Farmindustria and Elior, promotes the adoption of healthy lifestyles to combat and beat breast cancer and the papilloma virus, facilitating prevention through assistance on board trains and providing proper information to female passengers.
The Frecciarosa 2016 campaign was presented today at the Ministry of Health in the presence of Minister Beatrice Lorenzin, the CEO of Trenitalia, Barbara Morgante, the President of the non-profit IncontraDonna association, Adriana Bonifacino and the Director General of Farmindustria, Enrica Giorgetti. Milly Carlucci is hosting the event, while Carolyn Smith is endorsing the initiative.
From Monday 3rd to Friday 14th October on board certain Trenitalia Frecce trains, staff and IncontraDonna volunteers will be handing out the “Health Handbook”, containing prevention advice written by the President of the Association, Professor Adriana Bonifacino, with support and supervision by the Ministry of Health. Specialist doctors will also be available for female passengers on various Frecce trains to provide consultation, free breast examinations and advice on prevention and health for the whole family. To mark the occasion, Trenitalia is offering a discount of €10 for customers with a CartaFRECCIA on purchases and journeys until the end of October.
On Thursday 6th and Friday 7th October, the campaign will also be taken on board two Intercity trains from Catania to Messina and back.
“Trenitalia, just like all the FS Group, works according to an economic, environmental and social responsibility model. Frecciarosa is part of this model, an annual event which, over time, has proven popular with our customers to the extent that it has become an ever more welcomed and anticipated initiative with them”, explained Barbara Morgante, CEO of Trenitalia. “The train is a means of transport which brings people together. It takes us from one city to another and gives us the opportunity to share our experiences on board. Thanks to this initiative, we have many specialist doctors and qualified people available for customers who would like advice and useful information.
Several volunteers will also be on board who can talk about their experiences with illness and the importance of prevention. Over the years, Frecciarosa has created the opportunity to involve many people with surprising results in terms of prevention and, in many cases, the treatment of cancer”, concluded the CEO.
“Frecciarosa is offering suggestions on prevention and health, as well as breast examinations in the relaxed environment of a train journey”, said the President of IncontraDonna, Adriana Bonifacino. “It holds an important social value for a campaign which, over its five previous editions, has met several million Italians”.
“Winning the fight against women’s cancer is achievable but we all have to play a leading role in this battle. We have to raise awareness of the problem and fight it in every way possible, all together. I am and always will be alongside the doctors and researchers who are paving the way for a different future, because as a woman and a mother, I feel the duty to be at the forefront in the fight against disease”, explained the patroness of the campaign, Milly Carlucci.
“United we can win. We are working alongside Frecciarosa to promote prevention, healthy lifestyles and to highlight the results of pharmaceutical research”, added the Director General of Farmindustria, Enrica Giorgetti. “850 drugs are being developed around the world for illnesses that predominantly affect women: from diabetes to cancer, from musculoskeletal disorders to autoimmune diseases. Ours is an innovative pink industry, which truly cares about women’s health. This can also be seen by the many female researchers who account for over 50% of all employees and hold roles of great responsibility”.
Last year, Frecciarosa volunteers handed out about 100,000 Health Handbooks and helped women fill out over one thousand questionnaires on the papilloma virus. While specialist doctors conducted free breast examinations on board trains: 260 on board the Rome - Milan Frecciarossa and 45 in just two days on southern Italian Intercity trains.