Mr. Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister of Health, visited the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA” Children’s Oncology Unit, on Thursday 17 October 2019.
The Minister was welcomed by the President of the “ELPIDA” Association of Friends of Children with cancer, Ms. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, the Director of the Children’s Hospitals “AGIA SOFIA” and “P.&A. KYRIAKOU”, Mr. Manolis Papasavvas, the doctors and the nursing staff of the unit, as well as members of the “ELPIDA” and “ORAMA ELPIDAS” Associations.
Ms. Vardinoyannis warmly thanked Mr. Kikilias for his touching initiative to visit the children of ELPIDA, underlining the importance of the State’s support for the work of the Oncology Unit. “Your presence here today is a unique event for our Association and a great support for the children who are hospitalised here and their families. It is first and foremost an expression of your deep sensitivity and the priority you put on initiatives which have the health of children at their core. As a doctor yourself, being highly aware of the needs of our young patients and the particularities of the medical field, you are a valuable ally and supporter, particularly due to the fact that you are giving a daily fight in the major area of healthcare in our country. At the same time, you are the personification of the State’s support, which has been there for us all these years. The Ministry of Health, not only supports our efforts, but often fully aligns itself with them by joining forces for a truly sacred purpose”, Ms. Vardinoyannis states.
Ms. Vardinoyannis then proceeded to award Mr. Kikilias with an honorary plaque from the ELPIDA Association and together they placed on the “ELPIDA Wall of Stars”, a star with his name on it.
Mr. Kikilias thanked Ms. Vardinoyannis for the great honour, noting in his speech the significance of the work of ELPIDA: “ELPIDA is a very powerful name with a deeper meaning. You have truly done many things and I believe that these awards are for you and not for me. As a representative of the State I would like to thank you for everything you have done. I want you to know that the Prime Minister has instructed us to assist you in your effort. I am a man of actions and not of words, and I will support you in every way”, Mr. Kikilias said among other things.
Immediately after that, Mr. Kikilias was given a tour of the Children’s Oncology Unit, was fully briefed by doctors and nursing staff about the Unit’s operation, and also visited the young patients and their parents.ΕΠΙΣΚΕΨΗ ΥΠΟΥΡΓΟΥ ΥΓΕΙΑΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΗ ΚΙΚΙΛΙΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΓΚΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΜΟΝΑΔΑ ΠΑΙΔΩΝ «ΜΑΡΙΑΝΝΑ Β. ΒΑΡΔΙΝΟΓΙΑΝΝΗ – ΕΛΠΙΔΑ»Immediately after that, Mr. Kikilias was given a tour of the Children’s Oncology Unit, was fully briefed by doctors and nursing staff about the Unit’s operation, and also visited the young patients and their parents.
