Maurizio Cecconi: one of the three “Pandemic Heroes” Jama aknowledges
Professor Maurizio Cecconi, professor at Humanitas University and Head of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care unit at Humanitas, has been acknowledged by Jama, (Journal of the American Medical Association) one of the most important medical journals in the world, as one of the three “Pandemic Heroes” together with the Wuhan ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, who recently died of coronavirus after having warned about its high risk, and Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Professor Cecconi’s early commitment to knowledge-sharing and information-dissemination about the Coronavirus pandemic was fundamental in limiting the virus’ spread: through several video conferences with thousands of colleagues from all over the world, including those in developing countries, he was the first to alert the world to the dramatic situation Lombardy was experiencing due to Covid-19, to share news about the emergency and to advise on how to prepare for the upcoming health crisis.
The 21st February marked the beginning of Professor Cecconi’s pledge to communication: on the 5th of March together with Antonio Pesenti and Giacomo Grasselli from Policlinco he sent a lettere via the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine: “It is serious. Prepare as many hospital beds as you can. ”
Now more than ever the importance of knowledge sharing represents a key asset in order to be as prepared as possible to face any emergency, anywhere in the world.
“I would like to thank Jama for this recognition, which I’d like to share with the whole medical and scientific community not only in Lombardy but in the whole of Italy. Remember: the moment you become a medical student, you become part of the same community. We are not heroes, but I do know that we have worked together with strong dedication and passion, sharing any type of information, data, or evidence in our possession. We are grateful to know that our efforts have helped other countries prepare better for the emergency “commented prof. Cecconi.
Pride in what has been done and is being done
In what he calls a “tsunami” that has overwhelmed all health workers, Cecconi is keen on highlighting the positive aspects: “We were able to give a bed to anyone who needed it. We learned to smile with our eyes: they are the only uncovered part of our body. We shook hands with all the patients who didn’t make it, never leaving them alone. All the doctors, nurses and hospital staff have proven to be a truly united community. I don’t like to use the word hero, but pride. Because this is what I feel about our work every time I go home exhausted. ”