Rome, November 10 (Adnkronos Salute) – There are small, gentle and universal acts that warm thousands of hearts every year. Donate a smile: this is the spirit of the ‘Yes, donating makes you happy’ campaign, promoted by ODStore together with Lindt and Sprüngli in support of the Nemo clinical center, which specializes in the treatment and research of neuromuscular diseases. An initiative that – reports a note – has been combining sweetness and solidarity for 7 years, turning the humble praline into a symbol of hope for hundreds of children and their families. Until December 8, at all 130 ODStore sales points in Italy, it will be possible to donate 1 euro at the checkout and receive a Lindor milk praline as a token of thanks. Each chocolate means a concrete gesture of support for the Nemo center affective clinic, a project that treats children and adolescents suffering from SMA, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular pathologies, accompanying them together with their parents in the path of illness and growth, education and relationships with others.
“I have learned that real results are visible in the smiles of those who feel less alone – says Mauro Tiberti, founder of ODStore and creator of the campaign – Every year this initiative reminds me that kindness can really change things, even when it comes from one small act, because it is there that solidarity is formed, real and alive. Year after year, the protagonists of our campaign grow, face new stages and continue to smile with the same strength. “Yes, giving makes you happy” is exactly this: a reminder of humanity and a simple way to remind us that happiness is built together, one smile at a time.”
From 2019 to today – recalls the note – the ODStore campaign represents a fundamental resource to guarantee every year the standards of service and hospitality that make Nemo Center unique. In the latest edition, funds of 100,046 euros were raised, intended to support the work of a multidisciplinary team consisting of pediatric neurologists, psychologists, psychotherapists and nurse trainers. Thanks to this ongoing support, Nemo professionals can consistently monitor children and their families, offering a treatment space where play, listening and growth become an integral part of the therapeutic path. Today the Nemo network accompanies more than 600 children and young people every year, giving back to more than 2,500 families the peace and security that makes a difference in everyday life.
“In our department you can understand the true meaning of what we do – says Marco Rasconi, president of the Nemo Clinical Center – The needs of children and their families change and accompanying them on this journey is our greatest responsibility. In a social context that often tends to exclude, having a safe place where you can feel accepted and free to experience fragility is true wealth, which arises from relationships and grows over time. Here care becomes a meeting, fears are heard and trust is renewed day by day. If today we could see these things with a smile We also thank our partners and everyone who believes in the value of this initiative, making it possible to turn every action into a real gift of hope.”
With Affection Clinic, Nemo renews its mission to care for the whole person. Here young patients learn to recognize emotions, build authentic relationships and brave developmental changes, while families discover that care also means listening, presence and trust in the future. The same spirit that animates the entire network of 8 health centers, a unique reality in Italy, born from the meeting between associations, institutions and public health to offer global and sustainable care. The beauty of this alliance is also told by the voice of Michela, mother of little Giuseppe, followed by Nemo: “When we received the diagnosis, the world stopped. Then we met Nemo and everything started moving again, slowly, but with new meaning. Here our son is not defined by his illness, but by his dreams, by the way he laughs, by the things he loves. Knowing that behind this project there are people who, even for just 1 euro, make all this possible, is like receiving a hug every day that reminds you that you are not alone.”
Words that contain deep meaning, namely feeling part of something bigger, where every small movement becomes a bond. A miracle – ending the note – that also this year became real at the ODStore points of sale in Milan, Bresca and Rome, with parties that kicked off the seventh edition of the campaign, among smiles, sweets and balloons. ‘Yes, donating makes you happy’ is a miracle of humanity that grows every year, 1 euro, one chocolate and one smile at a time. Because happiness is not measured from greatness, but from mutual tenderness. To find the nearest ODStore point and know all the campaign details: www.odstore.it or write to comunication@centrocliniconemo.it.
