It's been 15 years since I faced cancer, and I can say I'm doing well. I chose to embrace life from the very beginning of this journey. When I tell my story, I simply share my own experience. It's a story similar to that of many other women.

I remember that day during the Christmas holidays when I discovered a "lump" in my breast. After the holidays, the check-ups and the diagnosis, it was a blow to the heart: cancer. My children were still young, and at first, we tried to protect them, looking for a way to tell them. Then one day, my youngest son said to me, "Mom, is this lump cancer?" I replied, "Yes, but Mom won't die, we'll do all the necessary treatments."

I won't deny that there were difficult moments. My husband Fabio was my pillar, always by my side. When I lost my hair, he shaved his head too, then we cried together, but we also laughed. I tried to face everything as lightly as possible. At that time, I was filming "Un Medico in famiglia" and wore a wig, but then in real life, I decided to go around bald.

I was fortunate to have extraordinary experiences, like meeting Professor Riccardo Masetti, who invited me to the "Race for the Cure" for the first time. It was an incredible experience; in that context, I realized I wasn't alone in my fight but a "sister" to hundreds of women in the same situation. From that moment, I became the godmother of the "Donne in Rosa" (Women in Pink) and decided to become a testimonial and share my experience throughout Italy to offer hope to other women.

I continued my life, I worked, my children grew up, and then, after several attempts, I was called to "Ballando con le Stelle" (Dancing with the Stars). It was a wonderful experience. I tested my body and my sensuality, which I thought were dormant. Dancing frees the mind, lightens us, and focuses us on the details of the steps. Dancing is definitely therapeutic; it helps to love oneself, or rather, to love oneself again.