Go beyond the Hippocratic Oath. Commitment beyond one's contractual and institutional duties. Follow a calling and not simply practice a profession. Doctors, surgeons, and healthcare workers don't always receive sufficient respect and appreciation for the work they do. Incidents of medical malpractice and poor service easily grab headlines and fuel discussions on social media, but in doing so, they overshadow not only those who work within healthcare institutions to ensure everything runs smoothly, but also those who voluntarily make extra effort, even at the expense of their own health and interests. 

It is to these exemplary figures that the "Dr. Geppino Micheletti" Award is addressed. The awards ceremony for the second edition will take place on Wednesday, July 15th at 11:00 a.m. in the prestigious setting of the Sala della Regina in Montecitorio.
«The award debuted last year to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Geppino Micheletti – explains the Hon. Andrea Mascaretti, promoter of the initiative together with the National Federation of the Orders of Surgeons and Dentists and the main associations of Istrian, Fiume and Dalmatian exiles – He is the surgeon who on August 18, 1946 provided assistance "for over 24 hours, following of the deliberate explosion of mines and war remnants present on the beach of Vergarolla, to the numerous seriously injured patients, not interrupting his activity even after learning of the death of his two children, aged 5 and 9, in the explosion" as stated in the citation for the Gold Medal of Merit in Public Health awarded to him in memory by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

Supporting the initiative, intimately connected to the history of the Adriatic border, are the Federation of Associations of Istrian, Fiume, and Dalmatian Exiles, the Association of Dalmatian Italians in the World – Free Municipality of Zadar in Exile, the Association of Istrian Communities, the Association of Fiume Italians in the World – Free Municipality of Fiume in Exile, the Association of Italians of Pula and Istria – Free Municipality of Pula in Exile, the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia, and the National League. This year marks the 80th anniversary of what can rightly be considered the first massacre in the history of the Italian Republic, as well as the one with the greatest number of victims: Vergarolla.

"Collaboration with the Julian-Dalmatian exile associations helps raise awareness of a long-forgotten chapter in history, and Micheletti himself is a high-profile figure who tragically epitomizes the events on Italy's eastern border, having faced them while setting an example for his colleagues in subsequent generations," Mascaretti emphasizes. "Today, our doctors no longer have to operate in such dramatic situations, yet they face the daily risk of physical and verbal abuse from patients and their families who disrespect the medical profession and attack those who strive to care for them, even in decidedly difficult and degraded social contexts. We must not forget those who sacrificed their lives to continue caring for patients to the very end, or in particularly challenging conditions, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are the modern-day hospital heroes to whom we wish to pay tribute on this occasion."

During the ceremony, 32 "Micheletti" awards will be presented, including 5 in memoriam, giving visibility and prestige to women and men who wear the smock with an extraordinary spirit of service and a predisposition for solidarity.