Mega Italian fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni and husband Fedez have done their part to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts in their home country of Italy — and that’s a serious understatement.
The Blonde Salad founder took to her Instagram feed on Monday, March 23, to unveil a major philanthropic accomplishment: a new ICU at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan dedicated to helping treat the country’s staggering number of citizens battling the deadly coronavirus.
Ferragni shared a video of the facility with her 19 million Instagram followers and wrote in the accompanying caption: “Two weeks ago @fedez and I started a GoFundMe page to raise money for a new intensive care area to be built before the end of the month at @ospedale_san_raffaele. Two weeks later the new intensive care area is ready and getting its first Covid patients today.”
She continued, “Thank you for the over 200k donors from all over the world who helped us raise more than 4.3 million €.”
The fashion designer added, “This is the good side of the Internet and it feels so good to really have helped ❤️ Please keep donating so more beds are going to be added (or feel free to donate to other hospitals in need 🙏🏻).”
The world-famous couple personally donated 100,000 € to start the GoFundMe page on March 9. According to WWD, it was created in collaboration with Professor Alberto Zangrillo, head of the Milanese hospital’s cardiovascular and general intensive care department.
In the fundraiser description, the Ferragni’s wrote, “We thought of helping the intensive care unit at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. At this moment the equipment necessary to triple the intensive and sub-intensive care beds are fans, noninvasive ventilation devices, hemodynamic monitoring and monitors.
Ferragni’s video footage of the new ICU proves that all donations — both big and small — were essential in bringing the upgraded facility to life.
In a statement to WWD at the start of the fundraiser, Ferragni told the outlet, ”We hope that this initiative will raise awareness among people in Italy and aboard of the current coronavirus crisis, which is affecting all of us.”
Given the constantly evolving nature of COVID-19, Us Weekly wants our readers to have access to the most accurate resources. For the most up-to-date coronavirus information, guidance, and support, consult the CDC, WHO, and information from local public health officials. If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, call your primary care provider for medical advice.
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