Anna Zacchè
Board Member
I was born in Mantua in 1952, I graduated at the School for Professional Nurses of the Italian Red Cross in Mantua, and then specialised myself in Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine at the Hospitals in the City.
I was hired by the Italian Red Cross (CRI – Croce Rossa Italiana) to provide service at the Intensive Care Medicine and Resuscitation ward of the “Carlo Poma” hospitals in Mantua and at the USSL 47 in the Health District of Mantua and Porto Mantovano. I carried out my activities at the Pediatric Counselling Centre, at the Public Hygiene Service and at the Home Nursing Service.
I remember, with a bit of sentimentalism, that in those first years at the Red Cross, nurses were identified as “crocerossine” and it was an habit among us to call ourselves “Sisters”. The uniform always had to be impeccable and every morning the head nurse inspected all of us before taking service.
The CRI submitted us a written form in which they asked if we were available to depart to zones affected by war or calamities, we would also have received the military grades. I also agreed and I felt honoured for my signing, it sounds old-fashioned of course, but that shows the change in style and habits.
Thanks to the experiences in different hospital contexts, I was assigned to the School for Professional Nurses of CRI, to teach Nursing and to be tutor for the students’ interships. Since 2001 changes also affected the School of CRI, and, because of its closure, I moved to the “Carlo Poma” hospitals in Mantua, in the Pathological Anatomy Service; afterwards I carried out my task as an Assistant Head Nurse at the Emergency department and Coordinator for the Internal and Secundary Out-of-Hospital Transport Services.
Since 1991, my natural inclination in devoting attentions to people in need brought me to dedicate my professional skills to the world of volunteering, by supporting Alfaomega Associazione Volontari, that to this very day takes care of people with HIV-AIDS.
In this association, in which I still volunteer, I was Responsible for the Health Sector; I took on the role of Vice-President in 2001-2002 and I covered the charge of President from 2003 to 2017.
In 2022, I took part in the founding of Fondazione Malagutti, in which even today I am a member of the board of directors. I am the Health Referent in this Foundation which shelters and accompanies by educating children and young people towards the overcoming of fragilities.
I have a lifelong interest in listening to classical and modern music, with a particular focus on singer-songwriters. I love reading, I am interested in auteur films. Whenever I can I participate in cultural moments, and I have a passion for nature and animals. My beloved cat Lulù often is a subject for “excellent” photo shoots that I take when practising with my reflex camera.
