On the initiative of the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, a day after the delivery of the ‘MARIANNA V. VARDINOYANNIS Children’s Oncology Unit’ to the state, a Scientific Conference on ‘Childhood neoplastic diseases – A WINNABLE BATTLE’ was held at the Athens Concert Hall.
The Scientific Committee of the Conference was chaired by Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou, and its members were Professor Georgios Chrousos, Professor Emmanouil Kanavakis, Professor Fotini Tzortatzatou-Stathopoulou, Professor Stelios Grafakos, the President of the Greek Hematology Association, Mrs. Eleni Kosmidi, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, and Mrs. Sofia Polychronopoulou, Pediatrician-Hematologist.
Declaring the opening of the Conference, the President of the ELPIDA Association, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, told those in attendance that “… Our meeting today has but a single goal: To send a loud message, not just to the parents and children who are suffering, but to society as a whole: that, YES, the battle against cancer is a battle that can be won! And that, as of yesterday, with the new hospital, there is another great ally in this battle. Today, we are turning a new page. And we wanted to share this new beginning with the best human resources our country has to offer in the battle against childhood cancer. In other words, we wanted to have with us, on the one hand, the soul of this Unit, the excellent scientists who will comprise the medical staff, and, on the other hand, top scientists from throughout Greece in the field of pediatric medicine, pediatric oncology-hematology, genetics and pediatric surgery. The work all of you do comprises the country’s medical shield against childhood cancer … We, as laypersons, anxiously anticipate being informed by you – who have long careers in medicine – about the latest developments in this field. Our Association will pass on your message, and all together we will fight for this cause, each of us in their own way, for the best …”
This was followed by welcome speeches by Michalis Timosidis, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Sport; Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou, Professor Georgios Chrousos; Mr. Anastasios Chatzis, Governor of the 1st Healthcare Region, Attica; Emmanouil Papasavvas, Governor of the ‘Agia Sofia’ General Children’s Hospital in Athens; Professor Athanasios Dimopoulos, Vice President of the University of Athens Medical School; and Professor Stelios Grafakos, President of the Greek Hematology Association.
Michalis Timosidis: “… Yesterday, with the delivery of the Children’s Oncology Unit created by the ELPIDA Association, a new page was written in our country’s medical history … The Ministry of Health has made the quality of its medical services a top priority, especially when the patients are children, and this is what it will do …”
Aikaterini Metaxotou: “… Time will show what a great day yesterday was. The Children’s Oncology Unit is the most beautiful hospital in Europe and one of the most beautiful in the world. And this is important because, as we all know, beauty can take away pain. It is excellently equipped based on the highest standards. But what is most important is that all children will be treated here under the same conditions, regardless of social background, and this is being done thanks to the work of Marianna Vardinoyannis, whom people have taken into their hearts, calling her “Marianna of our heart” … So that we can capitalize on this great work from Vardis and Marianna Vardinoyannis and realise the dream of excellent hospital treatment for children, I call for collaboration between all of the involved organizations …”
Georgios Chrousos: “… In Greece, Christos Lambrakis created the Concert Hall, Grigoris Skalkeas the Foundation of the Academy, and Marianna Vardinoyannis the Children’s Oncology Hospital, a great work for which I express my heartfelt congratulations to her. A hospital like this was created a decade ago in America, and I assure you that we no longer have any reason to envy it. Today, this hospital gives us the unique and enormous opportunity to innovate in the field of childhood cancer, and it deserves to become not only a center of applied science, but also a center of scientific innovation.
Emmanouil Papasavvas: “I am fully aware of the scientific responsibility I am undertaking to meet the high demands of this gift from Mrs. Vardinoyannis and the ELPIDA Association, but I want to assure them that, with us, sick children will find the love and care they deserve.”
Athanasios Dimopoulos: “… A child a day is diagnosed with cancer in Greece. So the contribution of the new children’s oncology unit will be enormous in caring for children suffering from cancer and returning them to health. It may be one of the largest centers in Europe, through which knowledge of childhood cancer can be brought together and concentrated.”
Stelios Grafakos: “… I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Vardinoyannis 20 years ago and to work with her throughout these years. I am well acquainted with her dedication to this sacred cause and with how she strived to complete this great project that she delivered to us yesterday. I promise that I and all of the hospital personnel who will staff the new Unit will do our very best.”
Following the welcome speeches, and before the scientific papers were presented at the Conference, the President of the ELPIDA Association, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, wanted to mark the occasion of the 20th anniversary of ELPIDA’s founding by expressing her gratitude to the people who dedicated their lives to other people’s lives! To the doctors and prominent people who, through their actions and work, defend our children’s right to life and support those who are fighting for these children.
Recipients of the symbolic award conferred by the ELPIDA Association were: The President of the ‘Fondation pour l’Enfance’, Anne-Aymone Giscard d’ Estaing, with the Education Attaché of the French Embassy, Odile Cobacho, accepting the award on her behalf; Professor David Khayat, President of the French National Cancer Institute; Professor Andreas Tzakis, Director of the Miami Transplant Institute; Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou; Professor Stelios Grafakos, President of the Greek Hematology Association and director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the ‘Agia Sofia’ Children’s Hospital; and the journalist Eleni Bistika, for her contribution to journalism and her support for the ELPIDA Association from the very outset.
Accepting her award, Mrs. Bistika, having expressed her gratitude for the honour of receiving the award, underscored that she was accepting the award on behalf of all of her colleagues and the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, where she has worked for the past 50 years.
The opening ceremony of the Conference was moderated by journalist Bilio Tsoukala.
The Conference proceedings concluded late in the afternoon, and were attended by: Fani Athanasiadou, Professor of Pediatrics-Hematology at the University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Director of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the University of Thessaloniki Hospital AHEPA; Fotis Beris, Professor of Hematology at the University of Geneva, Director of Hematology at LAIKO General Hospital; Professor David Khayat, President of the French National Cancer Institute; Professor Andreas Tzakis, Director of the Miami Transplant Institute; Fotini Tzortzatou-Stathopoulou, Emeritus Professor of Pediatric Medicine, Hematology-Oncology, Athens University Medical School; Maria Kalmanti-Papachatzi, Professor of Pediatric Medicine and Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Crete Medical School; Margarita Baka, Pediatrician, Hematologist-Oncologist, Deputy Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at AGLAIA KYRIAKOY Children’s General Hospital; Maria Moschovi, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Athens University Medical School; Georgios Spyridis, Pediatric Surgeon, AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Maria Synodinou, Director of the Children’s Radiology-Oncology Department, AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Children’s General Hospital of Athens, Emmanouil Kanavakis, Professor of Genetics, Athens University Medical School; Sofia Polychronopoulou, Hematologist, Director of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department of the AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Eleni Kosmidi, Hematologist-Oncologist, Director of the Pediatric Hematology Clinic; Dimitris Koliouskas, Pediatric Oncologist, Director of the Pediatric Oncology Department of the Ippokratio Hospital of Thessaloniki; Nikos Charchalakis, Hematologist, Director of the Hematology Clinic & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, EVANGELISMOS General Hospital of Athens; Ariadni Mavrou, Professor of Genetics, Athens University Medical School; Vasilios Papadakis, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, Attending Physician, Hematology-Oncology Department, AGIA SOFIA General Hospital of Athens; Vasiliki Kitra, Pediatric Hematologist, Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Eftychia Steiakaki, Hematologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Crete; Kalliopi Karamolegou, Pediatrician, Attending Physician, Hematology-Oncology Department of the 1st Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital; Stelios Grafakos, Associate Professor of Pediatric Hematology, University of Athens Medical School, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Achilleas Anagnostopoulos, Hematologist, Director at the Hematology Clinic & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, PAPANIKOLAOU Hospital of Thessaloniki; Panagiotis Tsirigotis, Hematologist, Lecturer at ATTIKO Children’s General Hospital; Ioulia Peristeri, Hematologist, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Ioannis Baltadakis, Hematologist, Attending Physician, Hematology Clinic/Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, EVANGELISMOS General Hospital of Athens; and Evgenios Gousetis, Pediatrician-Hematologist, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens.
The Conference was sponsored by: Liberis Publications, Genesis Pharma, SEMELI, Studio 7.
On the initiative of the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, a day after the delivery of the ‘MARIANNA V. VARDINOYANNIS Children’s Oncology Unit’ to the state, a Scientific Conference on ‘Childhood neoplastic diseases – A WINNABLE BATTLE’ was held at the Athens Concert Hall.
The Scientific Committee of the Conference was chaired by Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou, and its members were Professor Georgios Chrousos, Professor Emmanouil Kanavakis, Professor Fotini Tzortatzatou-Stathopoulou, Professor Stelios Grafakos, the President of the Greek Hematology Association, Mrs. Eleni Kosmidi, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, and Mrs. Sofia Polychronopoulou, Pediatrician-Hematologist.
Declaring the opening of the Conference, the President of the ELPIDA Association, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, told those in attendance that “… Our meeting today has but a single goal: To send a loud message, not just to the parents and children who are suffering, but to society as a whole: that, YES, the battle against cancer is a battle that can be won! And that, as of yesterday, with the new hospital, there is another great ally in this battle. Today, we are turning a new page. And we wanted to share this new beginning with the best human resources our country has to offer in the battle against childhood cancer. In other words, we wanted to have with us, on the one hand, the soul of this Unit, the excellent scientists who will comprise the medical staff, and, on the other hand, top scientists from throughout Greece in the field of pediatric medicine, pediatric oncology-hematology, genetics and pediatric surgery. The work all of you do comprises the country’s medical shield against childhood cancer … We, as laypersons, anxiously anticipate being informed by you – who have long careers in medicine – about the latest developments in this field. Our Association will pass on your message, and all together we will fight for this cause, each of us in their own way, for the best …”
This was followed by welcome speeches by Michalis Timosidis, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Sport; Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou, Professor Georgios Chrousos; Mr. Anastasios Chatzis, Governor of the 1st Healthcare Region, Attica; Emmanouil Papasavvas, Governor of the ‘Agia Sofia’ General Children’s Hospital in Athens; Professor Athanasios Dimopoulos, Vice President of the University of Athens Medical School; and Professor Stelios Grafakos, President of the Greek Hematology Association.
Michalis Timosidis: “… Yesterday, with the delivery of the Children’s Oncology Unit created by the ELPIDA Association, a new page was written in our country’s medical history … The Ministry of Health has made the quality of its medical services a top priority, especially when the patients are children, and this is what it will do …”
Aikaterini Metaxotou: “… Time will show what a great day yesterday was. The Children’s Oncology Unit is the most beautiful hospital in Europe and one of the most beautiful in the world. And this is important because, as we all know, beauty can take away pain. It is excellently equipped based on the highest standards. But what is most important is that all children will be treated here under the same conditions, regardless of social background, and this is being done thanks to the work of Marianna Vardinoyannis, whom people have taken into their hearts, calling her “Marianna of our heart” … So that we can capitalize on this great work from Vardis and Marianna Vardinoyannis and realise the dream of excellent hospital treatment for children, I call for collaboration between all of the involved organizations …”
Georgios Chrousos: “… In Greece, Christos Lambrakis created the Concert Hall, Grigoris Skalkeas the Foundation of the Academy, and Marianna Vardinoyannis the Children’s Oncology Hospital, a great work for which I express my heartfelt congratulations to her. A hospital like this was created a decade ago in America, and I assure you that we no longer have any reason to envy it. Today, this hospital gives us the unique and enormous opportunity to innovate in the field of childhood cancer, and it deserves to become not only a center of applied science, but also a center of scientific innovation.
Emmanouil Papasavvas: “I am fully aware of the scientific responsibility I am undertaking to meet the high demands of this gift from Mrs. Vardinoyannis and the ELPIDA Association, but I want to assure them that, with us, sick children will find the love and care they deserve.”
Athanasios Dimopoulos: “… A child a day is diagnosed with cancer in Greece. So the contribution of the new children’s oncology unit will be enormous in caring for children suffering from cancer and returning them to health. It may be one of the largest centers in Europe, through which knowledge of childhood cancer can be brought together and concentrated.”
Stelios Grafakos: “… I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Vardinoyannis 20 years ago and to work with her throughout these years. I am well acquainted with her dedication to this sacred cause and with how she strived to complete this great project that she delivered to us yesterday. I promise that I and all of the hospital personnel who will staff the new Unit will do our very best.”
Following the welcome speeches, and before the scientific papers were presented at the Conference, the President of the ELPIDA Association, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, wanted to mark the occasion of the 20th anniversary of ELPIDA’s founding by expressing her gratitude to the people who dedicated their lives to other people’s lives! To the doctors and prominent people who, through their actions and work, defend our children’s right to life and support those who are fighting for these children.
Recipients of the symbolic award conferred by the ELPIDA Association were: The President of the ‘Fondation pour l’Enfance’, Anne-Aymone Giscard d’ Estaing, with the Education Attaché of the French Embassy, Odile Cobacho, accepting the award on her behalf; Professor David Khayat, President of the French National Cancer Institute; Professor Andreas Tzakis, Director of the Miami Transplant Institute; Professor Aikaterini Metaxotou; Professor Stelios Grafakos, President of the Greek Hematology Association and director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the ‘Agia Sofia’ Children’s Hospital; and the journalist Eleni Bistika, for her contribution to journalism and her support for the ELPIDA Association from the very outset.
Accepting her award, Mrs. Bistika, having expressed her gratitude for the honour of receiving the award, underscored that she was accepting the award on behalf of all of her colleagues and the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, where she has worked for the past 50 years.
The opening ceremony of the Conference was moderated by journalist Bilio Tsoukala.
The Conference proceedings concluded late in the afternoon, and were attended by: Fani Athanasiadou, Professor of Pediatrics-Hematology at the University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Director of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the University of Thessaloniki Hospital AHEPA; Fotis Beris, Professor of Hematology at the University of Geneva, Director of Hematology at LAIKO General Hospital; Professor David Khayat, President of the French National Cancer Institute; Professor Andreas Tzakis, Director of the Miami Transplant Institute; Fotini Tzortzatou-Stathopoulou, Emeritus Professor of Pediatric Medicine, Hematology-Oncology, Athens University Medical School; Maria Kalmanti-Papachatzi, Professor of Pediatric Medicine and Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Crete Medical School; Margarita Baka, Pediatrician, Hematologist-Oncologist, Deputy Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at AGLAIA KYRIAKOY Children’s General Hospital; Maria Moschovi, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Athens University Medical School; Georgios Spyridis, Pediatric Surgeon, AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Maria Synodinou, Director of the Children’s Radiology-Oncology Department, AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Children’s General Hospital of Athens, Emmanouil Kanavakis, Professor of Genetics, Athens University Medical School; Sofia Polychronopoulou, Hematologist, Director of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department of the AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Eleni Kosmidi, Hematologist-Oncologist, Director of the Pediatric Hematology Clinic; Dimitris Koliouskas, Pediatric Oncologist, Director of the Pediatric Oncology Department of the Ippokratio Hospital of Thessaloniki; Nikos Charchalakis, Hematologist, Director of the Hematology Clinic & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, EVANGELISMOS General Hospital of Athens; Ariadni Mavrou, Professor of Genetics, Athens University Medical School; Vasilios Papadakis, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, Attending Physician, Hematology-Oncology Department, AGIA SOFIA General Hospital of Athens; Vasiliki Kitra, Pediatric Hematologist, Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Eftychia Steiakaki, Hematologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Crete; Kalliopi Karamolegou, Pediatrician, Attending Physician, Hematology-Oncology Department of the 1st Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital; Stelios Grafakos, Associate Professor of Pediatric Hematology, University of Athens Medical School, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Achilleas Anagnostopoulos, Hematologist, Director at the Hematology Clinic & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, PAPANIKOLAOU Hospital of Thessaloniki; Panagiotis Tsirigotis, Hematologist, Lecturer at ATTIKO Children’s General Hospital; Ioulia Peristeri, Hematologist, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens; Ioannis Baltadakis, Hematologist, Attending Physician, Hematology Clinic/Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, EVANGELISMOS General Hospital of Athens; and Evgenios Gousetis, Pediatrician-Hematologist, Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, AGIA SOFIA Children’s General Hospital of Athens.
The Conference was sponsored by: Liberis Publications, Genesis Pharma, SEMELI, Studio 7.
