The body does whatever it wants. I am not my body; I am my mind.

I tell young people: Do not think of yourself, think of others. Think of the future that awaits you, think about what you can do and do not fear anything.

If I die tomorrow or in a year, it is the same — it is the message you leave behind you that counts.

My life has been enriched by excellent human relations, work and interests. I have never felt lonely.

Progress depends on our brain. The most important part of our brain, that which is neocortical, must be used to help others and not just to make discoveries.

At 20, I realized that I could not possibly adjust to a feminine role as conceived by my father and asked him permission to engage in a professional career. In eight months I filled my gaps in Latin, Greek and mathematics, graduated from high school, and entered medical school in Turin.

A child from the age of 2 or 3 absorbs what is in the environment and what generates hatred for anyone perceived to be different.