Bianca Balti: After Illness, We Return to a New Reality

Bianca Balti received in Milan the 11th Lilt for Women Award and spoke about the physical experience and, above all, the psychological aspect of facing cancer, as well as the next steps of advocacy with the new Mind Your Cancer foundation, created to support oncological patients.

Lilt Award and statements in Milan

Bianca Balti was honored in Milan with the 11th Lilt for Women Award for “showing that it is possible to find beauty even in the face of obstacles,” according to ANSA. On stage, the model described how the disease left marks that go beyond the body: after the therapies, she felt episodes of depression and realized that she would not return exactly to her life before, but to “a new reality.”

Balti also spoke about the permanent fear of recurrence and highlighted the need for emotional care during and after treatment. In her words, recovery is not limited to medicine: psychological support is a key piece for the quality of life of cancer patients, both in the active treatment phase and in long-term survival.

“Healing goes beyond medicine,” Balti stated when receiving the prize, emphasizing the value of affection and listening for those facing illness, according to ANSA coverage.

Activism, visibility, and the Mind Your Cancer foundation

The model announced that she intends to intensify her advocacy in the area of psychological support through the new foundation Mind Your Cancer, in partnership with Lilt Milano, an organization dedicated to cancer prevention and patient support. The stated goal is to create support channels that integrate psychological care, information, and community presence, focusing on reducing the isolation that many patients feel.

Balti stressed that simple elements — such as exchanges between patients, the doctor-patient relationship based on listening and gestures of affection, “a hug” — play a significant therapeutic role beyond clinical treatments. The foundation’s proposal, as she explained, is to foster this network of human and psychological support, complementing traditional medical care.

The model also recalled publicly sharing her journey: she revealed the disease and chose to attend the Festival di Sanremo without a wig. The gesture had an immediate impact among women undergoing treatments that cause hair loss; many reported feeling encouraged not to wear a wig after seeing Balti, increasing the debate about visibility and the normalization of the body during and after cancer.

Public reaction and context

Bianca Balti’s stance — both in speaking openly about post-treatment depression and in promoting the Mind Your Cancer foundation — generated strong coverage in the Italian media and on social networks, according to ANSA. Mental health specialists and patient-support organizations often remind that integrating medical care with psychological support improves treatment adherence, well-being, and social rehabilitation for patients.

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Conclusion

Upon receiving the Lilt for Women Award, Bianca Balti gave voice to the psychological impact of cancer and announced a project aimed at expanding emotional support for patients. The Mind Your Cancer foundation, built in partnership with Lilt Milano, promises to place the human component — exchanges between patients, professional listening, and acts of care — at the heart of recovery strategies and living with the disease, reinforcing that healing involves much more than medical treatments. Source: ANSA