Volla – Rita Cefariello, a young woman suffering from spinal muscular atrophy with severe pulmonary deficit, passed away yesterday morning at the age of just 21. The immediate cause of death, which occurred at 10.30:XNUMX despite attempts at resuscitation, was cardiac arrest.
However, family and friends attribute the worsening of her condition to pneumonia, which she contracted after participating, on November 22, in a demonstration to ask for the release of Fna funds intended for families with disabilities. Funds that, despite months of waiting, have not yet been disbursed.
Rita's mother, Mariarca, had launched a desperate appeal to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Campania Governor Vincenzo De Luca, published on January 27 in the Corriere del Mezzogiorno: "Dear Giorgia, dear De Luca, where are the state and the institutions for my daughter? You are parents too; try to put yourself in the shoes of those who spend 24 hours a day caring for a disabled child."
And now, a few hours after her daughter's disappearance, Mariarca is speechless, overwhelmed by a pain that mixes with anger at the indifference of the institutions.
A battle on two fronts
The last days of Rita's life were marked by a rapid worsening of her condition. Despite intensive care, including syringes, aerosols and antibiotics, the young woman could not even eat. The pneumonia, contracted after the demonstration, further compromised her already fragile state of health.
"After all these battles, what else are we left to hear? That the FNA funds won't be paid, that the arrears won't be cleared, and that perhaps payments will be made, but in the meantime, eleven months have passed," Mariarca denounced.
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Rita's family, like many others in the N24 area, hasn't received financial support for almost a year. "Payments, when they arrive, will be bimonthly, but perhaps only healthcare workers' reports will be accepted. No one has done anything, the politicians are silent, and we continue to suffer," her mother added.
Rita's commitment to the rights of people with disabilities
Rita had not left her house since November 22, the day of her last participation in the demonstration. She was active in the Supereroi association, for which she managed the social pages, and was passionately committed to defending the rights of people with disabilities.
"We are close to these struggles, but we feel like the institutions aren't listening to us. We feel abandoned," said Enza Criscuolo, president of the association. "Rita was an extraordinary young woman, and we share her family's grief."
Funeral today
Rita's funeral will be held today, Friday, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Tavernanoce, in the municipality of Volla. The community is preparing to say their last goodbye to a young woman who, despite the difficulties, fought until the end for the rights of the weakest.
Meanwhile, Mariarca's appeal resonates like a warning: "My daughter died from pneumonia, which she contracted after participating in a demonstration demanding what was rightfully our families's. How many more lives must be lost before someone acts?"
The death of Rita Cefariello is not only a personal tragedy, but a symbol of the battles of those who, every day, fight against the indifference and inertia of the institutions.
Comments (1)
It is truly sad that a young woman like Rita died so young. Her story highlights the difficulties that families with disabilities face, but also the lack of support from institutions. There are too many injustices.