“Let’s break the silence on invisible pain” is the slogan that accompanied the presentation in Rome of Cenere Zero, Fabio Maria Salvatore’s new book published by Love&Co. The meeting, moderated by television author and cultural disseminator Lorena Magliocco, brought together institutions, clinicians, academics, journalists, and health professionals, finally offering a public space dedicated to fibromyalgia: a recognized condition that is still little discussed in terms of its physical, psychological, and social dimensions.
It is no coincidence that the venue chosen was the Parliament, with the aim of drawing greater institutional attention to the issue and the urgent need for uniform treatment pathways throughout the country.
Cenere Zero is the story of a journey: a journey through pain and through oneself, which Salvatore recounts in authentic and direct language. The book addresses central themes of contemporary life—fragility, resilience, illness, faith, words—focusing on the experience of a man affected by fibromyalgia, who is able to transform suffering into a form of rebirth.
The meeting was opened by the Hon. Anna Ascani, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, who emphasized:
“Cenere Zero allows us to enter the daily life of someone who lives with an illness that leaves no external signs but profoundly affects their life. Giving back a voice and dignity to those who have not been heard is a duty of institutions. Fabio’s story is an act of truth and strength: it shows that a life is possible even in fragility.”
The presentation attracted an authoritative audience of clinicians and scholars: Prof. Daniela Chieffo (Head of Clinical Psychology, Policlinico Gemelli), Prof. Gianluigi De Gennaro (Third Mission Delegate, University of Bari), Prof. Gianluca Franceschini (Director of Breast Surgery, Policlinico Gemelli), Prof. Graziano Onder (Director of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Policlinico Gemelli), and Prof. Giorgio De Toma (LILT National Scientific Committee).
Voices from medicine and research
Prof. Gianluca Franceschini
“Illness does not only affect the body: it involves identity, emotions, and the soul. The doctor-patient relationship is part of the treatment. Fibromyalgia is recognized, but still poorly understood in its entirety: greater clinical sensitivity and adequate training are needed.”
Prof. Daniela Chieffo
“Invisible pain can divide the body and mind, but through listening and support, it can become a path to rebirth. Fabio’s testimony shows that hope is an essential therapeutic tool.”
Prof. Graziano Onder
“Pain is not an isolated symptom, but a complex landscape made up of emotional, family, social, and spiritual dimensions. Medicine must move toward a comprehensive approach to the person.”
Prof. Gianluigi De Gennaro
“Fabio transforms a personal experience into a collective testimony. Cenere Zero is a cultural act that becomes a common good, capable of connecting patients, institutions, and communities.”
Prof. Giorgio De Toma
“Significant differences persist in access to psychological, nutritional, and rehabilitation services. Structural intervention is needed to ensure consistency and real support.”
The voice of culture
A particularly heartfelt contribution came from Fabio Canino, who drew attention to media responsibility:
“There are issues that emerge and others that disappear because they are not newsworthy. Fibromyalgia is real, widespread, recognized, but still too little talked about. People’s pain cannot depend on media trends. Cenere Zero restores dignity to millions of people who live with pain that cannot be seen.” .
Fabio Maria Salvatore’s civic commitment
“On December 22, I will turn 50. I am alive thanks to science, doctors, and my fellow travelers: the patients. That is why I have chosen to turn my birthday into a civic commitment. On December 18, I will begin a journey through the wards of Italian hospitals—starting in Taranto—to donate copies of Cenere Zero and say thank you. It is not a private party, it is an act of giving back. For me, this is my real birthday.”
The presentation took the form of a choral narrative and an invitation to rethink invisible pain not as a private experience, but as a cultural and social issue that affects everyone. Cenere Zero — “an urban work, made of blood, music, anger, faith, and beauty,” as it has been defined — is at once a caress, a scream, and a push: a literary gesture that restores truth and courage to those who live in fragility and seek a new beginning.
