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Sydney Kawadza
The nickname Dhoko has a special place in the hearts of many villagers of Mutoko in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland East Province.
Many cardiac patients around the country also touched by her magical hand sing praises.Her work has been felt at All Souls Mission Hospital and beyond.
She has been honoured across the world for her work, not only as a medical practitioner but for the humanitarian work benefiting hundreds of Zimbabweans.
Her name is Dr Mary Elena Pesaresi (83), an Italian doctor who has dedicated her life to assisting the poor in Zimbabwe and beyond.
As her career reaches its twilight, her work and achievements continue to be praised by all and sundry especially cardiac patients who received life saving surgery in Italy since 1985.
Some of Dr Pesaresi’s cardiac patients and those who benefited from her benevolence trekked to All Souls Mission Hospital in Mutoko on March 29 for a Thanksgiving Mass in appreciation of the magnificent work in Zimbabwe and beyond.
A surprise party was also thrown for the octogenarian who was left speechless.
One of the beneficiaries of Dr Pesaresi’s goodwill, Ms Nyaradzo Mujeka praised the Italian doctor.
“In 1986, our family was going through a difficult time when Dr Pesaresi heard of our plight from my sister who was a cardiac patient,” Ms Mujeka said in an interview.
Ms Mujeka, who is a nurse, said their family of seven was going through difficulties while staying in Marondera and Dr Pesaresi did not hesitate to help.
“On hearing of our challenges through our sister, Stella, who is now late, Dhoko started paying our school fees, bought food and contributed to our general upkeep that most of us ended up attending better schools like St Dominics’ Chishawasha, St Albert’s among others,” she said.
Ms Mujeka said Dr Pesaresi was more like their second mother.
“She would push us to work hard in all spheres of life. She had such a temper especially when one did not do well in class,” she said.
Hundreds, she said, were assisted by Dr Pesaresi.
“There are many beneficiaries across Zimbabwe while others are as far as the United States of America, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom among others,” Ms Mujeka said.
Thirty-four-year old Ms Majory Murindagomo said Dr Pesaresi saved her life.
“She is my hero. She saved my life after sending me for heart surgery in Italy,” she said.
Ms Murindagomo went to Italy in 1994.
However, she fell ill upon return to Zimbabwe and Dr Pesaresi took her to All Souls Mission so that she could closely monitor her.
“I could not get a place at All Souls Mission for my education but Dhoko was so determined that she enrolled me at the nearby Rukawu Primary. She provided accommodation and food and met our other needs,” she said.
Murindagomo said Dr Pesaresi’s passion for children was overwhelming.
“Her benevolence reached out to children including babies and she opened the Maliele House for disadvantaged children.”
Ms Victoria Dakura was a 11-year-old little girl with serious heart complications and had three major surgeries in Italy.
“I had a serious heart condition and my parents heard of Dr Pesaresi. They took me to All Souls Mission where I was admitted for close to 10 months. I recall Dr Pesaresi visiting me twice everyday during that period.
“She later asked my parents to apply for passports for my sister Lucy and I. I had to travel to Italy for an urgent operation. However, after the first surgery I was back in the theatre two months later.
“All in all I had three surgeries at Criste and Ancana Hospitals and we ended up staying in Italy for one and half years,” she said.
Ms Dakura travelled with eight other cardiac patients. Their group was not the only to benefit, many others followed.
According to Mr Fidelis Tsabora, a villager from the area who worked at All Souls Mission Hospital as a laboratory technician beneficiaries could be as many as 500.
“She came in 1963 with two of her colleagues, Dr Luisa Guidotti and Sister Catherine and over the years she transformed into an iconic figure not only in Mutoko but Zimbabwe as a whole. She had a fiery temper and it was all in good faith,” he said.
Dr Pesaresi, according to Mr Tsabora, was infamous for her sharp tongue.
Mothers who failed to take their children for medical attention early would feel her wrath.
“She did not want children to suffer and she would take away those who were not properly looked after. Her work for cardiac patients is well documented,” she said.
Dr Pesaresi worked with her brother, Tonino, in assisting several cardiac patients from across Zimbabwe.
Her colleague, Dr Guidotti was killed by the Rhodesian Army on June 6, 1979 for allegedly aiding liberation freedom fighters.
Chisehwe area Chief Jeremiah Zambezi Chimoyo said his community was honoured to have hosted the Italian doctor and benefiting from her services.
“She has been around for many years and many people from our villages and Zimbabwe received her assistance. I have relatives, my late sister Beaula, who was one of the first cardiac patients to be operated in Italy in 1985, and cousin, Zuki Chatiza, who also benefited.
“We understand she is aged but we are not sure whether someone would match her standards. I urge the staff at All Souls Mission Hospital to emulate Dr Pesaresi’s commitment and dedication to her duties so that patients continue to benefit from the excellent services at the institution,” he said.
In an interview, Dr Pesaresi said one of her major highlights in her classical career was interacting and working with the people of Zimbabwe.
“The ability to interact with the people and sharing their love was amazing. I had the opportunity to meet the Pope last year and was happy that he blessed my work urging me to continue helping the disadvantaged members of the community,” she said.
Dr Pesaresi said it was important for medical practitioners to understand their patients.
“We should understand the people, treat them with love while being friendly. There is no way one can treat a patient without understanding them. All I strived to be was like a mother to all my patients,” she said.
Dr Pesaresi said their programme to assist cardiac patients has spread to as far as Kenya.
She added that she would be sharing her time between Zimbabwe and Italy.
“Zimbabwe has become a second home for me and I hope to spend more time with the people in this country.”
Dr Pesaresi came to Zimbabwe from her native Italy in 1963 as a volunteer soon after her qualification as a doctor and become a surgeon at Harare Central Hospital’s maternity department.
She came with the late Dr Maria Grazia Buggiani who died in 2011 at the age of 80.
She worked at Harare Hospital before moving to Zambia in 1970 working there until 1982.
Her favourite place in Zimbabwe is Mana Pools.
Dr Pesaresi is the third child in a family of nine and one of her brothers, Tonino is a medical doctor and has played a huge part in assisting cardiac patients from Zimbabwe.
Born in 1932, Dr Pesaresi believes more disadvantaged people can be assisted through medical experts from her native Italy.
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