English translation of the commemoration of Claudia
made by her father Silvio, on May 4, 2002 at
the Pantheon building of Bologna Certosa

This commemoration takes place for Claudia's will, stated in testamentary form. I quote what she wrote:
"I, the undersigned Claudia Miniucchi, born on February 15, 1970 in Lodi will my corpse be cremated. I give this paper to SO.CREM of Bologna and give to them the mandate to execute this order.
I want a laic commemoration service".

Therefore, I invite any person who desires to speak to comply in the strictest way with Claudia's will as to the laic form of the commemoration.

***

I shall try to commemorate the person Claudia Miniucchi by speaking of three arguments, correlated with each other:

   1.   Her wish to love and be loved and her sentiment of
         friendship;
   2.   The illness and the way she faced it;
   3.   What she leaves to us.

I add that I discussed with Claudia, mainly on April 21, 2002, the general content of what I am going to say.

Her wish to love and be loved and her sentiment of friendship

Claudia had, as everybody, merits and defects.
Her nature was complex: rational, but with aspects of obstinacy, sometimes immediate and communicative, other times reserved.
One of her virtues was her sentiment of friendship. She had many friends and, of course, found in each of them common feelings and diverging feelings. She liked to make fun of her friends, but always in an affectionate and innocent way.
Her friendship towards everybody was sincere and profound. Even when the common feelings were not many, she gave great value to them and considered them a precious patrimony. I deem that often Claudia constituted a factor of harmony among her friends.
These friends  repaid her in the same way and therefore there was an exchange of positive feelings of great intensity.

During the illness, the friends were by her side in a profound way, always considering her a complete person, not simply a sick person, never using unfruitful commiseration. By means of her friends she could face the illness continuing to be a normal person, not only a sick person.
I do not think it is necessary to thank Claudia's friends, I want only to say that my wife, myself and our other daughter Daniela became richer spiritually through their friendship with Claudia and us.

The illness and the way Claudia faced it

Claudia's illness became manifest in December 1998.
I remember that, before that time, Claudia and I had spoken about the condition of the sick person, who often, in our opinion wrongfully, is only considered as such, maybe with sincere commiseration, but without comprehension of the dignity of the complete person that the sick person remains. The simple sharing of pains may be sterile and also irritating.
Claudia and I did not agree on everything, but on this regard our mutual understanding was complete.
Incidentally, during the first period of her illness, we started to write together about her vicissitudes, in view of our belief. I should like to continue those writings, possibly with the help of the friends.

As I was saying, the illness became manifest in December 1998. It was a very serious and rare illness (alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma). In March 1999 localized disease was resected and subsequently cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were made.

There was a complete remission, at least as indicated by the tests, that lasted about two years.
Claudia said to her friends that during the first period of her illness she felt to have spiritually improved herself and to have learned to give the proper weight to the matters of life.

In February 2001 a recurrence was discovered and a new resection was made, with subsequent brachytherapy.

In June 2001 a further recurrence was ascertained. Surgery was not possible, thus new cycles of chemotherapy were made at the Rizzoli Institute. The results were apparently good.
However, the doctors unanimously suggested, in order to consolidate the results reached, to subject Claudia to high dose chemotherapy, with transplantation of her own staminal cells. This treatment took place from October 2001 until February 2002, near Turin (IRCC, Institute for the Research and Cure of Cancer of Candiolo).
However, already in October 2001 the disease had attacked again and the situation became worse in December. After the first cycle of high dose chemotherapy there was an improvement and a further improvement was obtained through the second cycle.
In March 2002 the situation became such as to exclude any hope.
Up to the day before the death Claudia had periods of full lucidity, alternated with periods of strong pain and periods of torpor.
At 4 a.m. of 2^nd May, Claudia entered into coma and at 1 p.m. died.

I did not recall these events to sadden you or for merely personal grounds, but for two reasons that I consider important as they can transmit a message that goes beyond Claudia's experience: in order to point out that even in the most difficult moments Claudia faced the situation with courage and dignity and, first of all, continuing to be a complete person and because, in Claudia's and my opinion, the reluctance to speak about tumors or simply to pronounce the word "cancer" is wrong.

She was aware of the situation and after all her way to exist was not compatible with the choice, that perhaps in other cases may be proper, not to keep the patient informed of his conditions.

These three years and four months have been difficult, but also beautiful. During them Claudia gave the best of herself, always with a positive approach.

In the past she had been in love with Vittorio, with whom she passed to a deeply returned friendship.
After the first operation she felt in love with Leandro, who shared and strengthened her approach, by giving her new positive stimuli. She had made plans of marriage, although regretted that, because of the therapies, she was not able to procreate. She thought to the future, although she had progressively to shorten its duration.
She had become an attorney in law and had begun practice.

Even when the expectation of survival was for a short time, notwithstanding the uneasiness due to the disease and the therapies to limit pains, she continued living. She never vegetated.

On 21^st April 2002 she told me she did not feel to suffer an injustice. I try to quote her words: "there are many persons who suffer and have received nothing during their life. I received many good things. You can't feel to be hit because certain problem occur just to you." In the same circumstance, she added: "sure, it hurts me I have not been able to do certain things (of course, in addition to those who is speaking has mentioned), as travelling, being realized in the lawyer profession, reaching the economic independence".

Speaking of Claudia's disease, I cannot be silent with respect to the professionality and humaneness of the persons who took care of her: doctors, hospital attendants, other hospital personnel (omissis).

What Claudia left us

Claudia left a big gap, but also many beautiful things, as our spiritual gift and memory. She did not believe in eternal life, but desired that something important from her remained. There is no doubt: this wish has come true. Thus, we should not be too sad: we must be aware of her example and make a value of it, for us and others. We must live our lives with the same positive spirit demonstrated by Claudia.

I hope to have been able with these words to communicate, at least partially, what Claudia felt and to give strength to all the person who loved her. Thank you, I embrace all of you.