Two Ducats on the road to men’s health
Not just transporting goods and people, this time the Ducato Fiat goes a step further. For years now it has become a vehicle that can be adapted to specific needs, this time the van par excellence took to the streets to take care of men’s health. Starting today, Wednesday 30 October, and until Saturday 2 November,
Milan hosts two commercial vehicles made available to the Umberto Veronesi Foundation and the SIU Urologia Onlus Foundation by FCA to raise awareness among the male public about the importance of prevention in the fight against cancer . The vehicles will be in Piazza Duomo (from 10 am to 6 pm) to welcome all the men who want to undergo a first free medical consultation with the urologists on board. “According to statistics in Italy, less than 5 percent of children under the age of 20 paid a visit to the urologist,
Paolo Veronesi, president of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation and director of the Division of Surgical Senology of the European Institute of Oncology -. Women first understood that discovering a disease at an early stage can make the difference, while most men go to the doctor “only if it is urgent and very ill”: it often happens that men have advanced problems, neglected even for years. The diseases of the male urogenital system are growing. This is why we are now also working to develop a culture of prevention among men, traditionally not very active in this regard ».
Two Ducats on tour in 10 cities: over 100 thousand people involved
The two Ducats arrive in the Lombard capital at the end of a tour that touched 10 cities: Turin, Verona, Genoa, Florence, Bologna, Pescara, Lecce, Rome, Naples and Palermo. “In this way we were able to sensitize over 100 thousand people and offer medical counseling to over a thousand men,” adds Veronesi. Opportunities that from today and for four days will also be guaranteed to the Milanese, thanks to the sensitivity shown by the Municipality of Milan, which sponsored the initiative, towards male prevention.
“Despite the fact that scientific research allows us to live longer and with a better quality of life, men continue to suffer a health gap compared to women – explains the president of the Veronesi Foundation, who with this initiative consolidates the SAM – Health to the Masculine project, created to make men of all ages aware of taking care of their health. Varicocele, sexually transmitted diseases, prostatitis and urogenital cancers are on the rise, often discovered late, while they could be effectively prevented and successfully addressed the earlier the diagnosis. Gender equality is also this: fighting against the conventions and preconceptions that weigh like ballast even at the feet of men, who have still learned too much to take care of their health ».
FCA is at the forefront in supporting prevention and scientific research
The project realized thanks to FCA and with the scientific contribution of Fondazione SIU Urologia Onlus joins in fact the support to the research of excellence. Since 2015, the year in which SAM – Salute al Maschile was born, the Foundation has funded the work of 43 researchers, committed to finding innovative solutions for the early diagnosis and treatment of the main cancers of the male urogenital system, which can affect the prostate ( 37 thousand cases expected in 2019), the bladder (29,700, of which 24,000 among men) and the testicle (2,500). “We are proud to be at the side of Fondazione Umberto Veronesi in this project that involved thousands of people in all Italy – comments Stephane Gigou, head of Fiat Professional for the EMEA region -.