A significant moment for the Association “ELPIDA– Association of Friends of Children with cancer” was the support and participation at the International Medical Conference “Building Bridges at Pediatric Hematology-Oncology” under the auspice of the Ministry of Health and in cooperation with the Hellenic Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (EEPAO) on Friday 19^th and Saturday 20^th 2024 in Athens at the Hotel NJV Athens Plaza.

Paying tribute to the memorable, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, the Founder of the Association “ELPIDA”, scientists from important international Pediatric Oncologic Hospitals and the Oncologic Unit of Children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” met in Athens and stand shoulder to shoulder turning into action the orama of Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.

Famous Doctors from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA), Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology (The Netherland), HOPP Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (Germany) and The Hospital of Sick Kid’s Toronto (Canada) with whom the medical personnel of the Oncologic Unit of Children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” has a close cooperation met in Greece and inconjunction with their Greek colleagues discussed the last researches, developments and therapeutic protocols for the children’s cancer placing in this way our country and the Oncologic Unit of Children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” into the world forefront about the children’s cancer.

130 doctors with their physical presence and 216 doctors from 15 countries had the opportunity to attend it via internet: Albania, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Estonia, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia.

The Directors of the Units/Departments of the Oncologic Unit, the Professor of the NKUA Antonis Kattamis, the Directors of the NHS Dimitrios Doganis, Evgenios Gousetis and Vasileios Papadakis participated at the Scientific Committee of the International Conference.

Opening Ceremony-Greetings

The opening ceremony of the Conference, coordinated by the Professor Antonis Kattamis was dedicated to the work, offer and devotion of the memorable, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis at the battles against the children’s cancer.

“Our memorable Founder and my most beloved mother, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis’, had always the orama to create a world without boundaries for the children’s health. Because of her absolute devotion to this target, the Association “ELPIDA” and the Oncologic Unit of Children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” have concluded agreements and cooperation’s with great Hospitals, Foundations and Scientists from all around the world. I cannot imagine any most appropriate and attaching dedication to our Founder’s memory than this international Conference that brings close top scientists from all around the world” has emphasized the President of the Association, Mrs. Christianna V. Vardinoyannis at her greeting.

The whole Leadership of the Ministry of Health was present at the opening ceremony.

The Ministry of Health, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis in his video message has underlying the importance of Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis work at world level: “The Association ELPIDA has given all these years a great assistance in Greece regarding the handling the children’s cancer not only for Greek children but for children from Balkans , Europe and all around the world. They are now healthy and continue their lives due to the efforts of “ELPIDA” and the memorable Marianna Vardinoyannis who had an angel’s heart. The Universe owes to her a lot and Greece much more. I will do whatever I can so that, the legal enmity of Private law Hospital  “ELPIDA” to work correctly and continue its prestige work in the future. And it is beyond any doubt that, the Association “ELPIDA” will have my full support to do things together whenever you will ask for it”.

The Deputy Minister of helath, Mrs. Eirini Agapidaki said among others that, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis will always live through her work: “I don’t believe that we have realized that, Mrs. Marianna is not alive. And this is for me the absolute meaning of immortality. How a person has finally won the bet of life passing with its behavior, action and work what is good to the next generations. And that, because Marianna V. Vardinoyannis had inspired the medical society, scientists, researchers, volunteers, families, children all of you who continue the work of ELPIDA. The sector of health is very sensitive and especially when we speak for children, the needs are too much and urgent. They must be covered immediately. It is thus very important in such a difficult task a family to know that ELPIDA exists as an organization and as a meaning as well and that, a person has turned it into action in our country. We will be eternally grateful”.

The Associate Minister of Health, Marios Themistokleous has in details spoken for the considerable contribution of ELPIDA to the support of the children with cancer and their families: “The children’s cancer is a terrible disease. The conditions of the children’s cancer are very difficult and painful for the children itself but for the mother, father and siblings also. The human life cannot be placed on a weighing machine but the children’s cancer cannot be compared with any other type of cancer. ELPIDA offers the conditions that are valuable for the children in this very difficult moment of their lives with a very good quality, great dignity and helping beyond the building installations and equipment, to the support of personnel and its training and their cooperation with foreign hospitals”.  

The Secretary General of Health Services, Mrs. Lilian-Venetia Vilviridi, expressed her thanks to the Association “ELPIDA” for its contribution to the National Health System: “it is very important that, an effort is made for the first time to acquire a National Plan of Action for the cancer’s handling. The children’s cancer is the center of this effort. More than 15.000 children and teen agers have been diagnosed with cancer. From the 5 children the four are fully healed and this is the result of a contemporary well-documented knowledge for the children’s cancer. I would like also to thank the Association “ELPIDA” for the support offered all these years to the National Health System”.

The President of the Hellenic Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Mrs. Sofia Polychronopoulou has pointed out the enormous contribution of the Association “ELPIDA” under the guidance of Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis at the handling of the children’s cancer in Greece through the creation of the appropriate structures who have changed in whole the landscape of social solidarity in our country: “ This International Conference is a part of a series of important educational initiatives of the Association “ELPIDA” which continuous to serve without any interruption the orama of Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis for the support of the children with cancer and their families”.

The President of the Hellenic Federation of Cancer, Mr. Giorgos Kapetanakis has emphasized the multiply offer of Marianna V. Vardinoyannis who has opened the path of offer to our country: “It is a great honor for me to be here today because as I see, if we want to build bridges we must first open paths. And a Greek woman, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis has started these paths a long time ago. And these paths were to many directions. There were paths that developed sconce and coated an excellent scientific power for our country having included the pediatric hematology-Oncology into the world chart. She has created a path to inspire us as a movement of patients and work on the path that she has opened. She has created social paths to see how these children which will be healed in the future will be integrated into the society and have equal opportunities. And she also gave us the opportunity to realize the gift of life via her second child: “Orama ELPIDAS”.

The President of the Hellenic Organization of Transplants, Giorgos Papatheodoidis has referred in details to the great work of the Association Orama ELPIDAS established on 2014 from Marianna V. Vardinoyannis: “I would like to make a special reference to the work of Association Orama ELPIDAS because if no donor exists no transplant exists. And we are very proud with regards the transplant of hematopoietic cells as a Hellenic Organization of Transplants and as county as well that we have reached in very good levels in contradiction with the organs transplants the level of which is not very satisfactory. This very good condition with regards the transplant of hematopoietic cells is attributed to a great degree to the Bank of volunteers Donors of the Association “ORAMA ELPIDAS” which has the primacy all over the country.

The President of the Society of Oncologists Internal Medicine Doctors, Mrs. Zenia Zaridaki, has spoken about the importance of the international co operations and the continue training for the handing of the children’s cancer: “This conference is a significant milestone that marks the continuation of the work, visions and ideas of the remarkable Founder of the Association “ELPIDA”, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.  A wonderful woman who became the mother of all children with cancer and their families. Her work and offer continue to exist through her family and the Association “ELPIDA”. This international Conference underlies the importance of the international cooperation and the continue training for the improvement of diagnosis and therapies of children who face this difficult situation”.

The Vice-President of the Hellenic Hematology Society, Mr. Panagiotis Tsirigotis referred to the work of the Association “Orama ELPIDAS”: “We are not any more the poor relatives, we send transplants all around the world if you can imagine that which is mainly attributed to the efforts of the Associaton “Orama ELPIDAS” and I would like to express my warm thanks for this offer”.

The common Administrator of the Children’s Hospital “H AGIA SOFIA” and “P&A Kyriakou”, Mr. Manolis Papasavvas, has spoken for the larger flexibility at the support of the children with cancer which will be secured via the upgrading of the Oncologic Unit of Children to Oncologic Center of Children:  The decision of State to proceed with the establishment of an independent Legal Entity of Private Law under the name “Oncologic Center of Children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis –ELPIDA” , is the de facto acknowledgment of the valuable work and offer of Mrs. Mariana V. Vardinoyannis to the battle against the children’s cancer. It turn us to the main center of reference to our country securing a larger flexibility regarding operational issues but mainly to issues of access to initiative and innovative therapies of children. Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis orama which we now must continue is a world that none of the children is losing the battle against cancer. We declare that we are ready to follow these all new promising medical developments and when the knowledge, scientific research and the scientific methods are accessible to the whole scientific community, we shall have all of us make a step to the achievement of our target, 4 to 4 children to be healed”.

Presentation of the work of the Association “ELPIDA”- Award of honorary distinctions

Immediately after that, the Secretary General of the Board of Directors of the Association “ELPIDA”, Mrs. Tzortzina Ellina and the Professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine of the School of Medicine of the National and Kapoditrian University , Member of the Board fo Directors of the Association “ELPIDA and in charge of the Health Sector, Mrs. Theodora Psaltopoulou-Dimopoulou has presented in details the work of the Association from 1990 until to date.

Mrs. Ellina has spoken about the way of action and the legacy of the Association’s founder, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis:  “Our memorable founder was a pioneer, a Leader in the humanism world, a visionary who has joined two meanings which at first look seems to be incompatible   and different: the love and the science. She managed to change the real love for the children with cancer to modern innovative structures for the handling for the handling of the disease to scientific initiatives, to cooperations between entities, Foundations, Hospitals, scientists at the battle of the children’s cancer. And this is her most valuable legacy. The most valuable lesson of life that she has taught to us is that love, is not only a feeling but a true source of strength and creation. The Association “ELPIDA” keeping this valuable lesson of life is steadily continuing the way of offer and solidarity under the guidance and absolute devotion of our President, Christianna Vardinoyannis at the battle against the children’s cancer.

Mrs. Dimopoulou has presented the 10 main initiatives of offer of the Association “ELPIDA” and in particular: (1) creation and support of the first pure pediatric unit of transplantation of bone narrow in our country, 2) design and construction of the “Oncologic Unit of Children- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis”, a super modern construction-complex of 15.00 sq.m. area, 3) funding and donation to the Oncologic Unit of a lot of medical devices of advanced technology of million Euros value, 4) support of unit with specialized personnel, 5) creation of a Center of Gene and Cellular therapy for children, 6) Funding for the provision of services for the annual support of the Quality System in accordance with the international models JACIE, 7) creation of Gust House of Association ELPIDA, 8)psychological and financial support from the Social Service and Social Fund of the Association “ELPIDA”, 9) Funding of Conferences for the hospital’s personnel and travelling of the medical-nursing and technical personnel aboard and 10) creation of the a fraternization programs for cooperations with the most prestige hospitals of the world.

The Association “ELPIDA” has thereafter honored the representatives of hospitals, top and prestige pediatricians’ hematologists-oncologists with international honorary distinctions as an acknowledgment of the importance of the cooperation of the hospitals they represent with the Association “ELPIDA”. Doctors Stephen Hunger from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA), Marry Van den Heuvel-Eibrink and Michel Zwann from the Princess Maxima Center  for Pediatric Oncology (The Netherlands), Thomas Grunewald from the HIP Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (Germany) and Daniel Morgenstern from the Hospital of the Sick Kids Toronto (Canada) received the distinctions. All the representatives of the said hospitals were impressed from the work and offer of the Association “ELPIDA” and expressed their sincere thanks for the great honor and participation at the International Conference.

From the Board of Directors and the Advisory Committee of the Association “ELPIDA” were present: Mrs. Athanasia Marinaki, Nouli Manoli, Alina Minetta, Ino Kosntantopoulou, Melina Daskalaki, Dina Pritsiveli and Rita Moraitaki while significant representatives of the sector of health were present as well among whom, the Professor of Therapeutic-Hematology-Oncology, Director of the Therapeutic Clinic (Alexandra Hospital) Mr. Athanasios-Meletios Dimopoulos and members of the Association.

Scientific conclusions

The scientific conclusions of the International Conference consist the Road map for the next day with regards the handing of children’s cancer.

The participating scientists have presented and had the opportunity to discuss significant issues that cover a wide part of the whole handing that, the children with cancer need.

It was very interesting the comparison between the approach of America and that of Europe as it has been presented from the Greek also doctors who participate at the great common European efforts and studies in the sector of Pediatric oncology. The most recent data have been presented in the Conference concerning the diagnosis and therapeutically approach for various types of malignancies such as the neuroblastoma, renal tumors and low level glioma.

Extensive discussions and presentations were made concerning the hematological malignancies, with emphasis to the recent therapies such as new medicines, targeted therapies, immunotherapy’s and the especially promising therapies with CAR-T cells. The latter were presented from the Professors Stefan Grupp and Stephen Hunger from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who are pioneers to their development while there were discussed the initial results from the corresponding efforts of the Unit of Narrow Bone transplantation.

Considerable presentations were made for the molecular analysis and laboratory estimations of sensitivity in drugs that can lead to the personalization of therapy and improvement of effectiveness even with patients with a very adverse diagnosis and the participation of Greece to the corresponding international study INFORM.

The significant data that were presented set the need for the control for syndromes of predisposition for cancer and difficulties as well at the handling of the information to the families. The need for holistic handling of the children with malignancies was obvious via the presentations over the psychological and social support, the part of food and microbioma and in the ways of the handling of prevention from infections.

A considerable moment was the scientific presentation of the achievements of the registry of Donors of Narrow Bone of the Association “Orama ELPIDAS”.