History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta – military service

After graduating from high school, my grandfather Guido Venosta fulfilled his military obligation. Wanting to join the cavalry, he attended the officer school in Pinerolo, then was assigned to the Savoia Cavalry, where he developed the great passion for riding that would accompany him throughout his life.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta – university studies: Cambridge and Pavia

After completing his military service, my grandfather, Guido Venosta, enrolled at Cambridge University in England, whose school of economics is internationally renowned. At the same time he studied law at the University of Pavia, and within a few years he graduated from both universities.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta – father’s death: turning point in life

Within 10 years, between 1939 and 1949, my grandfather Guido Venosta’s father and mother died of what was then considered an invincible disease, cancer. This had a tremendous impact on Guido, laying the foundations for the feeling that, more than 20 years later, would lead him to become involved in AIRC.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta – The war, his brothers, his mother, the house in Gornate Olona

When war is declared (1940), grandfather Guido is called up to arms. When fascism collapses, he manages to return to the North. His mother Argia instead moves to Gornate Olona, in the house that was her late husband’s last purchase. Guido’s two brothers, Luigi and Giorgio, also go to war and manage to return.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta – work and career at Pirelli

Guido Venosta joined Pirelli in 1939, three months after the death of his father, who had been its General Manager. After the war he became Managing Director of Pirelli Ltd. based in London. He returned to Italy and continued working there until 1977. For more than a decade he would have two jobs: in 1966 he joined the newly founded AIRC, to which he would make a fundamental contribution until his death in 1998.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and his second life: the National Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) – part one

In 1966, my grandfather Guido agreed to join a ‘small association’ to promote awareness of the ‘unmentionable disease’, cancer. Over twenty years later, the ‘small association’ would become AIRC – the National Association for Cancer Research.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta, the second life: AIRC – ‘The azalea of research’ and ‘Oranges of health’

Among AIRC’s most distinctive public events are ‘The Research Azalea’ and ‘The Oranges of Health’. One and the other are a reason for public attention in the cities where they take place, so they have become a symbol of AIRC anywhere in the country.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and his second life: the National Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) – part two

Thanks to the work of my grandfather Guido Venosta, but also to favourable economic, social and cultural circumstances, AIRC was successful and grew. In 1975 my grandfather was elected President, a role he held for twenty years, structuring the organisation at a managerial level that was then unique in the field of solidarity.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – The winning idea: spreading the AIRC nationwide (the Regional Committees)

In conceiving the grand design of the Association, my grandfather Guido had the winning idea: that of spreading the activity and interest in the Association at a national level, focusing on regional representatives with local mentality, customs and sensibilities, but also precise and fast contact with headquarters.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – The “Vault” of AIRC: the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research (FIRC)

In 1982, my grandfather Guido Venosta, President of AIRC, promoted the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research (FIRC) alongside the Association, an organisation that was destined to ensure a solid foundation for cancer research over time.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – Major Initiatives: the ‘Biennial Prize for New Therapeutic Approaches to Neoplasms

In 1996, FIRC, the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research, established a biennial prize for researchers who have translated the achievements of scientific knowledge into tools for therapeutic intervention. After his death in 1998, the prize was named after my grandfather Guido Venosta.

History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families People, Environment & Culture 19/03/2025

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – Le Grandi Iniziative: the establishment of a Chair in Medical Oncology at the University of Milan, 1996

In 1996, FIRC – the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research, chaired by my grandfather Guido, allowed the University of Milan to establish the Chair of Medical Oncology at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, a teaching that until then was only at the level of individual specialisations.

Guido Venosta – military service

Guido Venosta – university studies: Cambridge and Pavia

Guido Venosta – father’s death: turning point in life

Guido Venosta – The war, his brothers, his mother, the house in Gornate Olona

Guido Venosta – work and career at Pirelli

Guido Venosta and his second life: the National Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) – part one

Guido Venosta, the second life: AIRC – ‘The azalea of research’ and ‘Oranges of health’

Guido Venosta and his second life: the National Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) – part two

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – The winning idea: spreading the AIRC nationwide (the Regional Committees)

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – The “Vault” of AIRC: the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research (FIRC)

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – Major Initiatives: the ‘Biennial Prize for New Therapeutic Approaches to Neoplasms

Guido Venosta and the AIRC – Le Grandi Iniziative: the establishment of a Chair in Medical Oncology at the University of Milan, 1996

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History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

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