CasAurora celebrates 10 years serving family members of inpatients

The 10th anniversary of CasAurora was celebrated with a conference entitled “Listening is Welcoming. CasAurora as Support for Family Members of Inpatients,” an opportunity to reflect on the vital role that this accommodation facility of the Adventist Institute for Biblical Culture (IACB) has played over the years.

Since 2011, the Institute has opened the doors of “La Colonica,” a vacation home located in the heart of the Florentine university hospital complex, at viuzzo del Pergolino 2. Established to offer hospitality to relatives of hospitalized patients, the facility has distinguished itself for its warm welcome and the comfort offered to guests. The success of this initiative led to the birth of CasAurora, which expanded the service to respond even better to the needs of those living difficult moments away from home.

Funded through the support of the Adventist Church’s Inter-European Division (EUD), the Adventist Diaconia through ADRA Italy, and 8xmille earmarked for the Adventist Church, CasAurora has become a point of reference for many families.

The conference program

The event, introduced by Institute administrator Gioele Murittu, featured experts and key figures in the medical and social arena:

• Ester Murro, manager of CasAurora and “The Farmhouse,” told about the values that guide the facility.
• Alberto Zanobini, head of Investment for Inclusion and Accessibility at the Tuscany Region, gave a talk entitled “Being there, when helping means being present,” emphasizing the importance of empathetic and concrete help.
• Fabio Parenti, treasurer of AIL, elaborated on “The Importance of Networking” to improve access to services.
• Flavio Facchini, MD, a specialist in reconstructive plastic surgery at AOU Meyer, presented a talk devoted to “Pediatric Plastic Surgery: on the side of children,” offering a look at the most delicate and complex treatments.
• Deborah Giambarresi, psychotherapist at CasAurora, concluded with “Care Begins with Listening,” a contribution on the importance of psychological support for family members.

Conclusions were given by Davide Romano, director of Adventist University Institute, who emphasized the value of CasAurora as an integral part of IACB’s mission.

At the close of the event, Nicola Paulesu, alderman with delegated responsibilities for Welfare, Reception and Integration, and Housing, brought his greetings, thanking the Institute for its work over the past ten years and reiterating the importance of collaborations such as this to promote an inclusive and humane model of reception.

A message of hope and solidarity

CasAurora represents a concrete example of how hospitality can turn into an act of care for those facing difficult situations. This conference reaffirmed the importance of facilities like this one, capable of combining professionalism, empathy and faith in dedicated service to others.

The celebration of 10 years of activity is not only a time to take stock, but also an incentive to look to the future, to continue to network and respond effectively to the needs of families.