A Manoeuvre for Life in Turin (2026)
«Una Manovra per la Vita» ("A Manoeuvre for Life") is the initiative held on Sunday 11 October 2026, from 10am to 5pm, in Piazza Castello in Turin, promoted by Simeup (the Italian Society of Paediatric Emergency Medicine) together with the Emergency Paediatrics department of the Regina Margherita Children's Hospital and Croce Verde Torino. The event was dedicated to spreading awareness of the manoeuvre needed to prevent choking from the inhalation of foreign objects, a phenomenon that causes the deaths of around thirty children in Italy every year [1][2].
How the initiative unfolded
At stands set up in Piazza Castello by the Regina Margherita Hospital and Croce Verde Torino, staff were available to show residents how to perform the airway-clearance manoeuvre in the event of a foreign-body inhalation, with hands-on practice also carried out using paediatric mannequins [1][2].
Statements from the organisers
Professor Franca Fagioli, director of OIRM's Department of Child Pathology and Care, and Dr Claudia Bondone, head of Emergency Paediatrics at Regina Margherita Hospital, explained that in the event of complete airway obstruction the window for action is limited, and that acting immediately greatly increases the chances of saving the child [1][2]. Dr Antonio Urbino, medical director of Croce Verde Torino, and Dr Barbara de Vito, Simeup Piemonte's vice-president, stressed the importance of as many people as possible knowing the manoeuvre [1][2].
The national initiative
The 2026 edition was the sixteenth of the initiative, which has been awarded the Medal of the President of the Republic, and was held the same day in more than 80 Italian squares in addition to Piazza Castello [1][2].
Related articles: Simeup
Sources
- La Stampa — 9 October 2026
- TorinoOggi — 9 October 2026