My name is Chiara Zavanone. I was born on December 21, 1978, in Alessandria. I graduated with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 2003 and specialized in Neurology in 2008.
Today I work as a neurologist at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, and I will always cherish the memories of my time at the La Madonnina nursery school. The school was located in Valenza Po (AL), adjacent to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy, and was run in the 1970s and 1980s by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide.
I remember that in the morning, my dad would take me to nursery school, where I would spend the whole day with the other children, the nuns, and the teachers. I had a locker with my name on it and a cherry symbol. Sister Martina would welcome us with the sound of her guitar, and arriving at school was always a celebration. She was always very cheerful and played “Cowboy Piero” for us, which we mimed with gestures. Today, I sing that same song to my children!
We played in the courtyard, drew pictures, and did lots of little crafts. Lunch was served in a large hall and was preceded by a little prayer; the nuns ate with us at a separate table not far away. I enjoyed helping to set the tables, and the saffron risotto was delicious!
In the afternoon, the sisters told us about the life of Jesus through drawings and stories that have remained etched in my mind. One day, we even had a visit from a priest from Valencia who was a missionary in Africa, Don Ezio Vitale. It was a big event!
This is a photo of a party organized by the school where I dressed up as a clown. I remember that my dad enjoyed putting on a show for us children in the school theater.
Every time I pass in front of the “Madonnina,” I think back with joy to those days of my childhood.
What the nuns passed on to me was this joy of living and this simplicity, which still accompany me today in my daily life and in my work.
