Great success for the 2013 edition of the “Smile Lunch” which was held on September 8th in Rignano sull’Arno (Florence). It was an opportunity full of joy and happiness, among the beautiful Tuscan hills, to meet our “special friends” (this year, a lot of new ones came from different parts of Italy!) and to catch up on the results of the Research.

The event was organized with the support of the talented guys of “Notte di Note Onlus”. The excellent lunch (a very Tuscan menu including an appetizer with crostini and pasta with sauce) was preparad by our cooks and served by the guys of the voluntary non-profit organization, who made us laugh and play at a beneficial lottery (the first prize was won by Dr. Ruggieri! What a lucky girl!).

Thanks to the Mayor of Rignano for having enthusiastically participated at the lunch, the Assessor and his employees for having supported our initiative; to the USD Rignano, which gave us the Sports Field to carry out the event; to the Association of Cinghialai and the ASEBA (Without Barriers Association) which helped us in moving and bureaucratic part; to the many volunteers, associations of Rignano and storekeepers who gave us food and gifts.

Our special thanks goes to the Scientists Federica Rizzo and Margaret Ruggieri (who belong to the Reaserch group, supervised by Prof. Nereo Bresolin and Prof. Giacomo P.Comi, of the Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca ‘ Grande Foundation and Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico) for having explained to us with great clearness and competence the improvemetns of our Mitofusin 2 Project of Research. The results they have reached are very encouraging and give so much hope to us.

The delegation of Turin introduced us the new website now completely updated and told us about the importance of being on social networks, like Facebook , Twitter , Linkedin etc.

At the end of the day, our “special guys” had the pleasure to announce from the stage the destination of the funds raised: THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE about Mitofusin 2, a very important event that it is going to be held in Milan on April 7th.

Thanks, thanks and thanks again to the hundreds of people who attended the Lunch of the Smile and to the whole population of Rignano, which supported us with such generosity and friendship!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE! SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!

Have a look at the pictures!!