Welcome to Navigating Longevity
When I began my career, I was guided by a deep passion to help others and a restless curiosity to explore new worlds geographically, culturally, and emotionally.
Hotel Punta Rossa Circeo, Latina Italy - 2024
My journey started in public hospitals in Florence, Italy, but soon extended far beyond. I had the chance to apply my medical knowledge to global humanitarian crises, first by providing hands-on care, and later by coordinating major global crises. I was involved in major epidemics such as cholera, Zika, measles, Ebola, and COVID-19, as well as man-made and natural disasters. Over the course of more than twenty years, I worked across four continents and in more than twenty countries with organizations such as MSF, UNICEF, and WHO, Save the Children, and Johns Hopkins University.
World Health Organization (WHO) mission, Mogadishu, Somalia - 2016
Through it all, I witnessed profound suffering but also extraordinary resilience. These experiences changed me deeply. I came to understand that healing is never just about health. It is about dignity, connection, and purpose. I have always believed in the power of science, and just as strongly, in the human responsibility to bear witness. Being there, where suffering unfolds, it is not only about delivering aid. It is about standing beside others with compassion, acknowledging their pain, and offering presence, solidarity, and the assurance that they are not alone.
After walking through the shadow of my own illness, with its uncertainty and the quiet reckoning with mortality, a new chapter began. I found myself drawn to the field of longevity, inspired to help people live longer and healthier lives with meaning. This new direction did not come without hesitation. I continue to grapple with doubt and uncertainty. But I am grounded in purpose and driven by a determination that has carried me through every stage of my life, even when the path ahead is unclear.
Over the years, I have earned three master's degrees and am currently pursuing a PhD in health promotion. Learning has always been my way of making sense of the world, of feeding my curious and often restless soul. As a PhD researcher, I explore the many factors that shape our experience of aging and well-being, especially the role of social connection, movement, nutrition, and purpose. This shift in focus does not replace my humanitarian work. It walks beside it, fueled by the same passion. I see longevity as a natural extension of my lifelong journey in public health, each part enriching the other like roots growing and intertwining beneath the surface.
Dadab refugee Camp, Kenya – 2004
In this blog, I share reflections rooted in science, shaped by personal experience, and flavored with my love of food and different cultures. There are no formulas here and no promises of perfection. Just thoughtful insights and tools you can carry with you as you navigate your own life, offered in a spirit I hope feels nourishing, meaningful, and maybe even joyful.I invite you to walk along this path with me with curiosity, openness, and trust.
Warmly,
Donatella