The first PASS Foundation podcast dedicated to eating disorders, produced with Chora Media
It's not easy to talk about eating disorders, especially for those who suffer from them. Often, shame leads to hiding and isolating oneself, thus also pushing away the possibility of getting help.
Listening to the stories of those who have faced this difficult journey, however, can be a fundamental starting point for understanding how to behave and help a child, friend, or family member who is facing this "enemy." An enemy becomes "The Dragon in the Castle" in this first podcast, created by Fondazione Pass in collaboration with Chora Media thanks to the 2025 edition of the B.Great (fundraiser (the longest table in Bologna, set up on May 31st on Via Rizzoli to raise funds for awareness-raising activities and therapeutic projects for young people suffering from eating disorders) and the support of Fineco Bank, Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi di Bolognae e SEA Milan Airports.
The Dragon in the Castle is a podcast that tells the stories of women, eating disorders, and the journeys to overcome them. A journey into the fragility and courage of those who face this illness to break the silence that often surrounds it.
An intimate and moving six-episode journey, intertwining authentic testimonies and narrative sensitivity with the voices and stories of five young witnesses (Anna, Noemi, Francesca, Giada, and Benedetta), the sensitive narrative of author Irene Privitera, and the scientific guidance of Dr. Leonardo Mendolicchio, an eating disorder specialist.
The project's official presentation took place yesterday, Monday, October 6, at 6:30 PM at the Fondazione Pass headquarters at Via Roma 2 in San Lazzaro di Savena (BO). The event included a public listening session with the author and the podcast's protagonists, and a discussion that allowed for reflection on the power of stories as a tool for awareness and change.
"We have always believed in the power of stories. The podcast's protagonists' stories are so vivid and engaging that they powerfully bring attention to the topic of eating disorders," commented Graziano Nani, branded content editing supervisor at Chora Media and Will Media.
"Eating disorders are still not talked about enough. The stories told in the podcast are profoundly different, but they all convey the same message of hope: recovery is possible. The ambition of this project is to help as many people as possible who are facing these types of difficulties," added Irene Privitera, author and host.
Starting today, you can listen to and download one episode per week, every Tuesday until November 11th, on the streaming platforms Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, YouTube Music.
"We hope," said Cora Querzé of the PASS Foundation, "that this podcast can become a tool for profound reflection not only on eating disorders, but also on issues of personal identity and relationships with others and with oneself for adolescents, young adults, and adults themselves. For this reason, we invite the entire community to collaborate on this project. I want to tell students, schools, youth centers, and parents' associations that PASS's doors are open for dialogue and exploration of these issues."
"Any initiative that brings the important issue of eating disorders to the forefront of public opinion," emphasized Professor Leonardo Mendolicchio, director of the Eating Disorders Department at the Auxologico Institute in Piancavallo (Verbania), "is always welcome. This podcast does so with grace, attention, and scientific rigor, which is why it is my personal pleasure to support it."
