Valeria Marini’s starry heart: faith, children and the beauty of showing up
Evening prayers, toys brought to Gaslini and wedding gifts turned into help. There is a light in Valeria’s story worth sharing.
‘Starry kisses.’ Two words bring Valeria Marini to mind: the smile, sparkling clothes and her distinctive greetings. Another picture deserves our attention too: Valeria beside children, at meetings organised with AMRI, the Association for Childhood Rheumatic Diseases.
This chapter leads to Genoa, close to families travelling to Gaslini hospital for their children’s treatment. It began a long time ago.
Genoa, 2005: a meeting becomes a commitment
AMRI says Valeria met the association in 2005 through a fundraising project. The encounter led to support for its work, particularly research and accommodation for parents travelling to Genoa.
On its testimonial page, AMRI describes funds helping finance a young biologist’s doctorate and increasing rooms available to families near the hospital. This historical account describes work undertaken together, rather than providing a current activity report.
A room near your child. During hospital treatment far from home, finding somewhere to sleep, paying costs and reorganising work can become problems. Hospitality supports families through that part of the journey.
At Christmas, children in hospital are still children
Gaslini documented the visits. On 18 December 2012, it reported the previous afternoon’s meeting with children in Paediatrics II. In December 2014, it described AMRI patron Valeria bringing Christmas wishes and toys to Rheumatology children: an established tradition.
Those dates show stages in a relationship. The toys express an attention everyone can understand. A child receiving treatment still wants a surprise, a celebration and something to unwrap. Their day should contain those things too.
Watch the video at its original source
Wedding presents become solidarity
AMRI’s July 2014 bulletin confirms that Valeria and Giovanni Cottone declined wedding presents and asked guests to donate. The contributions supported a fund to buy an ultrasound scanner for the department. Two other couples followed their example.
A personal celebration widened to include others. Someone repeated the gesture: one of generosity’s loveliest possibilities is making other people want to join in.
An evening prayer
In a public interview on 17 July 2022, Valeria described praying every evening: the Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be and spontaneous words seeking strength or entrusting a loved one’s health to God.
She said she had considered entering a convent the previous year during a difficult time, discussing it with her mother and a priest. She reconsidered, recognising it could not be a way to escape her difficulties.
This was the direction she described then. Those words belong to that period of her life and can be read respectfully alongside the actions documented by AMRI and the hospital.
A light to share
This story contains a researcher, a family finding accommodation and a child receiving a toy. Specific people and needs help us see where support can reach.
Let us keep the starry kisses, and make room for these images beside them. Part of Valeria’s beauty can be told through the time and attention offered to someone needing a little light.
