(by Manuela Correra)
RICCIONE - Roberto Boschetti, former professor of Italian in middle school and then in high school in Vasto, is excited when he takes the stage of the congress of diabetologists taking place in Riccione: he is 72 years old and has lived with a 'difficult companion' for 61 years, diabetes. Among the appaluses he receives the symbolic recognition plaque as a 'veteran' of diabetes and special testimonial of the therapeutic progress made in this field. Immediately he wants to send a message, to those who live with this disease but also to those who are well: "Living with diabetes is possible, it can be done. But one thing is crucial: you have to rely on and always have faith in science, this has been my motto. And even now, in the face of the threat of Covid, I tell people with diabetes and everyone to get vaccinated, without fear ".
"Science, doctors, therapies, which have changed over the years, have saved me and have allowed me to live well, managing the disease. If I had refused the therapeutic innovations, the advances - he says - perhaps I would not be here. So, even now, against the pandemic, I say that we must trust the people who know more than us, that is the scientists. I have already done the three doses of the vaccine, and I invite everyone to do like me. We must not be afraid ".
Then he remembers what his life was like before the 'progress' of science: "At 11 I had the news of my illness, which in those days it was good to keep hidden because it was said to be hereditary and therefore we should not get married.
I was immediately subjected to insulin therapy, which at the time was purchased for 950 lire the bottle and injected with a glass syringe and needle, and the needle was sterilized each time by boiling and used until it became blunt like the tool for sewing shoes, 'na subbile di scarpare', as they say in my dialect "." My thanks - says the professor - goes to pharmaceutical research, which was able to make me switch from insulin of swine origin to that current synthetic very similar to that secreted by the Pancreas and to the technological one ". And then:" Over the years, no more glass syringes, but disposable plastic, which also had some negative aspects, because when in the service areas they saw you tinkering with those immediately thought 'here is this now drugs'. Now, however, "there are pens that you can carry in your jacket pocket and insulin pumps". "I was not afraid of the progress of science, and this saved me, and even now, in the battle against this virus - he says - we must be afraid of science or not believe it".
Roberto is not the only diabetes 'veteran'.
The award ceremony is in fact inspired by 'The Medalist Program' of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston which, since the 1970s, has already awarded more than 5,000 '50 year medals' and, since 1996, 90 75 year medals to people with diabetes from all countries of the world.
The reasons why some subjects are able to live better with the disease than others are also at the center of a clinical study ('The Joslin Medalist Study') aimed at identifying protective factors against the development of diabetes complications (retinopathy, nephropathy and cardiovascular diseases).
Certainly, say the diabetologists, genetics has its role but "following science - concludes Roberto - I assure you that it can save your life".
