A SILENT SCREAM FOR LIFE

Gornja Bistra, 30 kilometers from Zagabria, is a small rural community where the most important Children’s Hospital, specializing in chronic illnesses in Croatia, is to be found.

The building, which goes back to the 18th Century and which belonged to generations of the Count Orsic families, was nationalized in 1945, when the Communist Party began buying up private property on land which had been part of the ex-USSR. After the Second World War, that which had once been a castle for nobility became a sanatorium for children and, in 1963, was transformed into a hospital for long-term patients with genetic complaints. The patients are generally between 0 and 18 years old, however, there are cases where youngsters, now grown ups, have been inmates for more than 20 years: with no place to go, abandoned by their own families, orphans or in the hands of rarely seen social-workers, they are condemned to spend their entire life in a hospital bed. Since 2002 the association “Il Giardino delle Rose Blu” (Garden of Blue Roses), that became an International Charity Foundation in 2008, has guaranteed a permanent and continuative presence of volunteers at the Gornja Bistra Children’s Hospital. The hospital administrator, recognizing the value of the work carried out by the association for the psycho-physical well-being of the patients, authorized organized games/ fun-time in the recreation rooms or, weather permitting, outside in the hospital grounds. Over the years more than 4,000 volunteers have taken turns, week after week, working constantly with patients to reach their short or long term goals, according to each patient’s condition and ability. The volunteers spend part of their day with the children with the most difficulties, those who are confined to their rooms. Here, some of the young patients have bars on their beds that resemble cages; those who are self-destructive are actually tied to their beds, by the nursing staff, with leather straps or bandages to prevent them from causing injury to themselves or others…At first, all that nurtures the conviction of having descended into hell: a hell of paradoxes, in fact. There, where once parties alternated with the hilarity of the idle rich, now harsh guttural sounds and voices that seem to have little in common with humanity are harbored. Yet the apparent quiet, the screams and the open eyes that look but don’t see, everything at Gornja imposes a profound sense of respect for the very existence of these mortals. A respect that exalts the idea for the need of this documentation: that which emerges is simply a silent scream for life. The violence of some of the images is a reminder of the inadequacies and limits of a health system which, in many ways, is still obsolete, underlining the instability of the fragile life at Gornja Bistra; nonetheless, everything still manages to glow in front of the reverberation of a human presence. Going beyond the limits dictated by bars or a cage, where light and shadow design the space subtracted, at the time, in the image of an interior world yet to be deciphered, and which mark the distance between a bed of laments and a window that opens onto its surroundings.

5-year-old Dejan, who was born prematurely with a brain hemorrhage. Dejan, even though he needs to learn how to react to aural stimulus without getting agitated, he adores playing the piano supported by the volunteers. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

18-year-old male twins, both blind since birth. Both self-destructive, their hands are tied up by the nursing staff to prevent them from hurting others or themselves. Not being able to use their hands they bite their arms continually. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

A girl plays hide-and-seek in her bed, laughing behind a bib left to her by a nurse at a meal-time. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Patients playing with volunteers. Since 2002 the association “Garden of Blue Roses”, has guaranteed a permanent and continuative presence of volunteers at the Gornja Bistra Children’s Hospital. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

On the bottom right-hand side is 8 year old Tony, affected by Wolf- Hirschhorn syndrome. In the background is the left wall of the ex-Castle, transformed into a sanatorium for children after the Second World War and, since 1963, has been a hospital for long-term patients suffering with genetic complaints. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

One of the rooms where the children, who are never allowed out of the building due to their precarious state of health, are hospitalized. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Oxygen’s cylinders in a depicted room of the ex-Castle. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Laura Drera, the President of the “Garden of Blue Roses” Foundation. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

A girl waiting for volunteers in the hospital ground. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Some volunteers try to get 6-year-old Tajson, who is affected with psychomotor difficulties and congenital hydrocephalic problems, to walk without the aid of a frame. Before the arrival of these volunteers he, too, was tied to his bed like other patients. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

After a difficult day, in which patients have suffered epileptic fits and breathing difficulties, two volunteers exchange a friendly hug while a nurse takes meals into a room. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Velimir, aged 31, epileptic and with psychomotor problems, is one of the oldest patients in the Hospital. He has been there for over 20 years. He spends his days sitting in front of the window and loves being caressed, in spite of his hard looks. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

6-year-old Tajson, who is affected with psychomotor difficulties and congenital hydrocephalic problems with a volunteer. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

One of the older patients sitting in front of the wall by his bed. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

A nurse with a patient in the Gornja Bistra Children Hospital. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Mario, aged 14, is afflicted with fetal alcohol syndrome. He loves being caressed, in spite of his hard looks. Approximately 80% of the in-mates die in the hospital, without ever returning to their family home. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

A view from the Gornja Bistra Children Hospital’s ground. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Patients with volunteers in the hospital’s ground. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Anna, one of the volunteers from the “Garden of Blue Roses” Foundation with Filip, one of the 110 patients at the Hospital. Filip is gravely mentally-handicapped, blind and often causes himself severe bodily harm. However, during his calm moments, he craves for cuddles. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

A view of the ex-Castle, transformed into a sanatorium for children after the Second World War. Since 1963 it has been a hospital for long-term patients suffering with genetic complaints. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Anna, one of the volunteers from the “Garden of Blue Roses” Foundation, in a moment of discomfort. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

Several pairs of shoes go unworn for days, even months. Between one visit and another many parents forbid volunteers to carry out any kind of activity with their children; therefore, preventing them from leaving their room during their parents absence. Gornja Bistra, Croatia 2009. © Matteo Bastianelli

MULTIMEDIA

A SILENT SCREAM FOR LIFE (2009)