76 years old, 40 of which spent living with multiple sclerosis and other debilitating diseases . A daily battle, never easy, now at a critical point, where the concern is not only the disease itself, but also the growing difficulty of receiving adequate and continuous care.
The voice is that of Stefania and Federica Corda, daughters of EF, a resident of a municipality in the Sarcidano area . Along with the rest of the family, they are anguished by their mother's deterioration, amidst postponed visits, unsecured therapies, and a wheelchair that has now become part of their daily routine. "We often think not only of our mother, but of all those people facing similar or more serious situations who have no one to support them," the sisters explain, immediately clarifying that theirs is not intended to be merely a personal testimony, but a collective appeal. "There's no need for extraordinary treatments or advanced technologies: in her case, regular physiotherapy would suffice, but that is increasingly difficult to obtain."
A year ago, the woman entered Isili Hospital using a walker. After forty days of hospitalization, she left in a wheelchair , no longer independent. "During those forty days," they say, "she remained bedridden, without receiving rehabilitation services, due to the lack of physiatrists and physiotherapists available in the department."
Once she returned home, with the help of her family and initial in-home support, she slowly began to improve. But even that progress was interrupted. "What she had worked so hard to regain, she's losing again. And despite our requests and warnings, physical therapy is no longer provided."
A medical assessment has been pending since October, which, unfortunately, has not yet been completed. Meanwhile, the patient's physical and psychological condition is deteriorating. "The physiatrist—who alone treats a large number of patients—explained to us that it's not possible to manage everything quickly. Even the specialists who treat her other conditions are hard to find , and appointments are becoming difficult to obtain."
In addition to staffing shortages, bureaucratic difficulties are compounded. "In January, for example, the codes for booking appointments changed, and this further slowed everything down ," Federica explains. The question her daughters are asking—legitimate, heartfelt—is simple and profound: does the dignity of patients have an age limit? Are rights limited by the number of pathologies they have? "For us, this situation has become unsustainable," the family concludes. They hope that this story, shared with respect and concern, will spark a broader reflection on the need for continuous care for vulnerable patients, and on the right to health, which must remain the same for everyone, regardless of age or condition.