P.C. “Olympiakos” visited once again the children of “ELPIDA” with the initiative of the Club’s president and all time friend of the Association, Mr. Vangelis Marinakis.
All the team: athletes, coaches and senior managers visited the Oncologic Unit of children “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” on Monday, February 10th 2025 spreading smiles and optimism at the hospitalized children.
The President of the Association “ELPIDA – Association of friends of children with cancer”, Mrs. Christiana V. Vardinoyannis, the Governor of the Children’s’ Hospital “P.&A. Kyriakou” and “H Agia Sofia”, Mr. Manolis Papasavvas and the B.D. members of ELPIDA and ORAMA ELPIDAS, welcomed Olympiakos team while, the wife of Mr. Vangelis Marinakis, Athnasia , member of the B.D. of the Association ELPIDA, was also present.
Mrs. Vardinoyannis has warmly thanked “Olympiakos F.C.” for their all time and substantial assistance at the combat against the children’s cancer and renewed the cooperation of ELPIDA-Olympiakos by declaring the team “Champion for ELPIDA 2025-2027”: “Today is a big day for the children of ELPIDA. Your visit is an unforgettable moment of their life. It gives them strength to feel that, they have you at their side. I thank you from the depth of my heart and from all ELPIDA’s family for your valuable support all these years! We are proud that, today which is the beginning of your anniversary year, we renew our cooperation by declaring “F.C. Olympiakos”’ champion for “ELPIDA for the two years period 2025-2027”, Mrs. Vardinoyannis characteristically said.
M. Yiannis Moralis, the Vice-President of the team and Mayor of Piraeus , representing Mr. Marinakis thanked Mrs. Vardinoyannis and said: “ We want to thank you Mrs. Vardinogiannis for the warm reception . A ten years time has almost elapsed when, our President, Mr. Marinakis had the idea to cooperate with the Association “ELPIDA”. Football is a sport, a game, an entertainment obviously, but it is here those that have been born as the real warriors and winners of life. I am getting the message of our President, Vangelis Marinakis for his support to the Association “ELPIDA” and our ongoing wish to be next to those children. We have once again said that, our life, the players and the whole team is a daily buttle
for the win. But here is a combat for the life. We will continue to be next to you. It is also for us a special moment of the year when we are coming here and see the children’s satisfaction when they see their idols, the athletes. It is true that, when you are a volunteer you feel better inside you. If we read at the Greek Cyclopedia for the a volunteer’s role this would be that of Mrs. Marianna Vardinoyannis and it is also a pleasure for us also when we have the opportunity to offer to these children and to all of you who are strongly fighting, we feel more important and better human beings. We are glad that, you have nominated us as Champions. We are used to it but this term Champion is especially important and exceptional for us”.
Mr. Jose Luis Mendilibar, Olympiakos coach declared: “Thank you very much for the invitation to be here with you to date, because you are helping us to date to realizes how insignificant is the football in relation with other things in life and how important is to be here with you to date. It’s much more important than the football which is significant but there are a lot of things in life that , are much more important”.
The Governor of the Children’s Hospitals “P.&A. Kyriakou” and “H Agia Sofia”, Mr. Manolis Papasavvas, has informed in details about the work that takes place in the Unit mentioning among others that: “Our Oncologic Hospital is going on serving the orama of the unforgettable Marianna V. Vardinoyannis by following all the developments of the medical science and giving the opportunity to our little patients to have access to innovative and pioneering therapies. There have been performed until to date, 47.000 hospitalizations, 209.100 day hospitalizations, 1.500 transplants, 20
cell therapies and 3 therapies with gene modification”.
Right after that, Mr. Moralis has handed over for one more year to Mrs. Vardinoyannis a check for the support of the Oncologic Union for Children and one symbolic souvenir for the 100 years of “Olympiakos F.C.”.
Mrs. Vardinoyannis has offered, in recognition of “Olympiakos F.C.” support a symbolic sculpture for the President of the team, Mr. Vangelis Marinakis while she has also honored for their support, the Mayor of Piraeus and Vice-President of team, Mr. Yiannis Moralis, the team’s coach Mr. Jose Luis Mendilibar and offered to all football players of the team, souvenirs from the children of “ELPIDA”.
All the team’s players have visited the little patients of the Unit passing by from all rooms, took photos with them and offered to them a ball with their signatures and a scarf giving to them strength and optimism of which are in such a need.
