Your Excellency Mr President of the Hellenic Republic,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are truly moved to welcome you all here tonight,

for an evening that signals the launch of Events for the 30-year Anniversary of the foundation of the

ELPIDA Association.

I remember as if it were yesterday, when we took our first tentative steps in 1990 and as young mothers we decided to act collectively for the children that are diagnosed with cancer.

This decision led to the creation of the first Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, our Guest House, and later the first Children’s Oncology Unit in Greece. Recently, in fact, it became a Centre of Excellence, offering us the hope that 4 out of 4 of our children will be completed cured, and this is the most optimistic message that we can send here this evening. 

I remember the first transplant that took place in our Unit by professor Stelios Grafakos. Holding each other’s hand in the operating room, we tried to be brave, waiting for our young Panagiotis, who was 18 months old at the time to be saved – he is here with us today and we our proud of him.

I remember each one of the ELPIDA children by their first name and unique history. Each one is so special!  Everyone together they have always been our strength, teaching us that the impossible can

become possible.

In fact, most of you here took this long journey with me, and this is everyone’s achievement.

What makes me smile and gives my heart the greatest satisfaction is that ELPIDA united the Greek people!

I humbly pay my respects to the anonymous Greeks, who always find a way to contribute, even when their own pockets are nearly empty.

I am truly proud to see that ELPIDA is growing day by day, and its message transmitted to every corner of Greece.

The fact that the third and fourth generation of ELPIDA, ELPIDA Youth and ELPIDA Junior, have already done great work in the battle against childhood cancer fills my heart with optimism, that this work has been warmly embraced by the next generations. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

The 30-year anniversary of ELPIDA and the events starting today are an effort to honour everyone’s participation in this effort.

At this point I would like thank from the bottom of my heart, his Excellency, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Prokopios Pavlopoulos, and his wife Mrs Sissy Pavlopoulou, for being here today and honouring us with their presence. I sincerely thank them for their invaluable support for our work.

I also warmly thank the First Lady of Cyprus, Mrs Andri Anastasiadi, for her presence and for our shared initiatives and her valuable support that embodies the support of the Cypriot people.

I would like to warmly thank the Church, and his Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, who sends us his blessings and wishes, and is always by our side.

I particularly thank all representatives of the State, the Authorities and the Armed Forces, the Academy of Athens, the University of Athens and the Embassies that have been supporting ELPIDA all these years.

A huge thank you to UNESCO.

To the Director General of the Organisation, Ms Audrey Azoulay, who honours us with her thoughts and wishes.

To the former Director General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova, who honours us with her presence here today, together with her husband Mr Kalin Mitrev, who has embraced our work from day one.

And the Goodwill Ambassador, Ms. Hedva Ser, acclaimed sculptor and creator of the “Tree of Peace” sculpture, for her important support for our efforts and her presence here today.

I would also like to thank the presenter of the evening, and very good friend, Mr. Nikos Hatzinikolaou, who is always here for us.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We have with us this evening our doctors, the Director of the Hospital, the members of ELPIDA, benefactors, sponsors and supporters, the artists and champions of ELPIDA, our friends the journalists, the country’s schools, our volunteers, our compatible donors, the parents of the children, the hospital staff, all those people who make our vision a reality with their daily efforts.

And all of us together, with great excitement, we honour tonight the distinguished Professor of Oncology, David Khayat, and thank him for his valuable cooperation and presence today, with his wife, Ms Jocelyne Khayat.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In closing, I would like to invite you to give with us a silent promise that we will remain united, for the sake of the children that continue giving their battle against cancer.

Let’s say a little prayer for every child that is currently hospitalised.

Thank you, each and everyone, for your presence here today.

I would also like to thank Vardis, and our happy family, our children and grandchildren, who are here to share this evening with us.

Without their unwavering support, which fills me with strength and courage, all this would have been impossible to achieve.

And I also feel the greatest gratitude for my mother, who gave me my first lessons in solidarity.  This is what gave me the strength, even in the darkest moments, and also a phrase I would like to share with you.

“Because even the life of a single child is worth fighting for.”

This phrase has been and will always be our compass.

Thank you very much!