INSPIRE'S Researchers Series
Researcher Spotlight
Welcome back to our Researcher Spotlight series! Every month we highlight one of our consortium members working to bring INSPIRE forward.
Our first INSPIRE researcher of 2024 is Margherita Schiavi! Margherita is a practising Occupational Therapist, an Exercise Physiologist, and is currently completing her PhD. Given her experience in both clinical work and research, we are thrilled to have her on board and driving INSPIRE forward.
Margherita Schiavi
Tell us a bit about yourself Margherita!
My name is Margherita and I’m a PhD student, an Occupational Therapist and an Exercise Physiologist. I engage as a Health Researcher in the IRCCS AUSL Reggio Emilia.
My clinical experience is in the field of neurological and rheumatological rehabilitation. I teach several Occupational Therapy courses both in Italy and Syria. I have always kept a part of my work dedicated to research.
Currently, I’m working on a World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) mapping process of the assessment tools of unmet needs of cancer survivors. I also have experience in qualitative research. During the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I proposed and led a qualitative study. This study investigated the experience of individuals who had been hospitalized for COVID-19.
My early research work deals with the occupational needs of complex patients and I wrote a book chapter on Early Occupational Therapy Intervention. I am working on different trial projects ranging from translational research projects to supporting care approaches.
My primary responsibility within the INSPIRE project is to administer the palliative rehabilitation intervention to its participants. The primary goal is to assess the impact and feasibility of a personalized rehabilitation program tailored to address the varied functional needs encountered by individuals with incurable cancer. Moreover, I will play a key role in collecting data related to outcomes of particular interest.
The extreme focus on the person, the true client-centered view, is fundamental to people’s quality of life, and as an occupational therapist, I find that approach fundamental. INSPIRE is based on that perspective.
Rehabilitation in palliative care is an area for implementation, and INSPIRE is a project that benefits both individuals and the scientific community.
Ground-breaking
Client-centered
Meaningful
