• An international fundraising effort to finance the rehabilitation programs that the S.Orsola general hospital of Bologna has developed for patients in post-COVID-19 recovery

• Funding starts at € 100,000: members of the Ducati board have begun donations to which are added those of employees. The amount collected was then doubled by the company

• The campaign brings together the entire Ducati community, from official Ducati Clubs to dealers, riders, suppliers, and partners, in order to achieve an important goal by June 2020

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), May 4, 2020 - Ducati launches #raceagainstCovid, a fundraiser organized by the Borgo Panigale company in favor of the Policlinico di S.Orsola of Bologna, an excellence of the area as well as one of the largest hospitals in Italy. In this way, Ducati wishes to contribute to the fight against COVID-19, and it does so with the approach that most distinguishes the company - that of great challenges, forming a team, sharing a goal, and looking to the future.

For this reason, Ducati has rallied together its entire family - employees of the Bologna headquarters and its subsidiaries throughout the world, DOC (Ducati clubs), dealers, suppliers, partners, riders and enthusiasts - to offer support to those who work every day on the front lines to protect the health of citizens.

Making your contribution to the fundraising is simple: for those wishing to donate by credit card, please visit the dedicated page of the GoFundMe platform (of which a mobile app is also available); for those who prefer to participate by bank transfer, simply make a payment to the account of the hospital (IBAN IT68E0306902480100000300027), indicating the cause "raceagainstCovid donation." The donations are received directly by the University Hospital of Bologna Policlinico di S. Orsola.

The goal is to collect, by June 2020, the necessary funds to finance instrumentation, research, and staff of the Policlinico di S.Orsola of Bologna dedicated to the exclusive care of patients in post-COVID-19 recovery.

“Even on those who recover, COVID-19 often leaves significant aftermath on organs and systems that it has attacked with its harsh action. Lungs, heart, circulatory system, kidneys, brain are the preferred targets of the virus. Impairments of lung, cardiac, and renal function occur, the risk of thrombosis remains and there may also be neurological residues. To monitor these patients, treat them and follow their rehabilitation, dedicated multidisciplinary areas have been set up with cardiologists, neurologists, nephrologists, neurologists, physiatrists, and infectious disease specialists. For these patients, even complex rehabilitation programs are proposed that require dedicated personnel and specific equipment such as, for example, telemedicine tools for remote patient control, robots for patient rehabilitation at home, ultrasound, echocardiographs, electro-stimulators of respiratory muscles and instruments that measure their strength and train them, traditional active and passive exercise bicycles (for patients with respiratory problems forced in bed)," declared Chiara Gibertoni, General Manager of the Policlinico di S.Orsola.

Ducati has always been an active part of its territory, which is characterized internationally for the Motor Valley of ‘masterpieces’ on two and four wheels, but also for its excellent medical facilities. The Emilia-Romagna Region has become a national hub for the treatment of COVID-19. The same Ducatisti from all over the world is extremely close to this land which has always been the location for the factory where the red bikes of Borgo Panigale come from.

“Faced with a tragedy such as that caused by the COVID-19 virus, one can remain immobile, paralyzed by terror, or react quickly, precisely and in a coordinated way. Helping the health system in every possible way is a duty of every single citizen and also of the companies that are a fundamental part of the social fabric," declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “Ducati was founded in Bologna ninety-four years ago and is therefore inextricably linked to this city. I am sure that our riders, fans, and enthusiasts from all over the world will join us to give the city and the whole country a strong sign of solidarity, as well as sincere thanks for the effort and dedication that the doctors are making to combat this new and still not fully understood serious illness.”

The members of the Ducati Board started off the fundraising collection, followed by many other employees. The amount collected was then doubled by the company, reaching the amount of € 100,000, the starting point of #raceagainstCOVID.

"In all these weeks of Coronavirus emergency, our regional public health service has received incredible demonstrations of support in the face of the outstanding work of doctors, nurses, and operators to whom we will always be grateful," commented the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Stefano Bonaccini. “A lot of affinities and many donations, from those who could give a lot and from those who could give less, but really a desire to stay united against the pandemic that still continues today. This is why Ducati's initiative is just as wonderful and important: to mobilize both its employees, a formidable team, and Ducati enthusiasts all over the world for a fundraiser that will support the post-COVID rehabilitation activity of the S.Orsola hospital in Bologna, given the important consequences that it can still have on the organs and systems attacked by the virus of those who recover. Both dedicated staff and specific equipment are needed, and Ducati is on the track for this: thanks very much to Claudio Domenicali, to the entire Borgo Panigale team, and to anyone who loves the red bikes for what is already a certain victory. Thanks again."

To donate by credit card:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/donazione-ospedale-s-orsola-covid

To donate by bank transfer:
Account in the name of: Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna per sanità di Bologna per COVID-19
IBAN: IT68E0306902480100000300027
SWIFT CODE: BCITITMM
Cause: "raceagainstCovid donation"

All information on the fundraising is also available on the dedicated page of the Ducati website.