Giulia is 18 years old, she attends the fifth grade in Cassino, where she lives with her family, but the final exam took place from her hospital bed at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna.

Two years ago due to a serious accident in scooter is hospitalized in Rome, then for several months last summer in Bologna for surgery at Rizzoli; in March, a further long hospitalization is necessary in the department of Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgery and Innovative Techniques directed by Dr. Dante Dallari. Here thanks to the School in Hospital Giulia can stay with his class: the daily teaching activity with lessons and tests is agreed between the teachers of the school from which they come and those who work in hospitals, The Institute of Scappi of Castel San Pietro, directed by Patrizia Parma.

In May resignation and return home, but then a new admission in the early days of June makes it necessary to activate urgently the procedure for carrying out the examination of State "out of place" as explained by prof. Antonella De Tommasi who coordinates the School in Hospital of Rizzoli: "The maturity examination, as well as being a highly symbolic moment as a passage of life, is also an official public act, which requires a rigorous formal conduct. Thanks to the collaboration between our school, the Lazio School Office, the Rizzoli Board and the examination commission of the school from which you come, we were able to organize all the necessary steps to ensure Giulia had a chance to take her exam even if she was hospitalized, and we are really happy about that."

The written tests, Italian and Economics, were sent to the hospital management via pec, with identical timing compared to school locations. Giulia has performed the tests sitting in bed, isolated by a screen, in the presence of the coordinator prof. and teachers of Istituto Scappi with delegation of the examination board established in his school.

Today she has held the oral, in connection from Rizzoli but inserted in the calendar of his class.

"Also for the health staff the maturity at the hospital was a particular circumstance - comments the general director of Rizzoli Anselmo Campagna - and there’s no doubt that having kept the thread from breaking with life outside the hospital, of which maturity exam is a very important part, was a great help to Giulia’s journey."

The high school (elementary and middle schools were already present) was born at Rizzoli, first in Italy, in 1997, thanks to an agreement between the Orthopedic Institute, the Board of Education of Bologna (now Regional School Office) and the Association for the study and care of bone and soft tissue tumors (The Rizzoli team is working to improve the prospects of bone cancer patients for treatment).

The teachers of the subjects of all courses of study come from the Institute "B.Scappi" of Castel San Pietro, officially appointed to follow the school in hospital; They are supported by other teachers, including volunteers. Over the years, the school has become a habit in the ward, also thanks to the commitment of health staff who plan how to reorganize activities based on the school commitment of patients.