On Wednesday 20 December 2023, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Ioannis Kefalogiannis visited the Bone Marrow Donor Bank of the “Orama Elpidas” Foundation, which is housed in the Children’s Oncological Unit “Marianna B. Vardinogianni” – ELPIDA, of the “Hagia Sophia” Children’s Hospital. There, he was greeted by the Common Director of “Aglaia Kyriakou” and “Hagia Sophia” children’s hospitals and Vice President of the Board of Directors of the “Orama Elpidas” Foundation, Mr Emmanouil Papasavvas, the General Secretary of the “Orama Elpidas” Foundation, Mrs Despina – Ino Konstantopoulou, and the Foundation’s Science Director, Professor, Mr Stelios Grafakos.

With the International Human Solidarity Day as initiative, Mr Kefalogiannis and his partners became bone marrow donors, as they consider offering life to fellow humans is the most essential form of solidarity. In this context, the further and deeper cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the “ORAMA ELPIDAS” foundation was decided upon, so as to inform and raise awareness about the matter of voluntary donation of blood cells, and point out their importance for patients who need bone marrow transfusions and seek for suitable transplants, in order to win their lives back. At the same time, what is being attempted, is the increase of bone marrow donors in our country, through the encouragement of Armed Forces personnel and conscripted soldiers to voluntarily enrol in the National and World Marrow Donor Archives.

Mr Deputy Minister stated the following:

“On today’s monumental day, the International Human Solidarity Day, I decided to become a bone marrow donor, along with my partners, thinking that offering life to our fellow humans is the most essential form of solidarity, and also symbolising the fact that the Armed Forces are by society’s side. Along with the Board of Directors of the “ORAMA ELPIDAS” Foundation, we decided that there will be a cooperation between us within 2024, a year of solidarity for the Armed Forces. Our goal is to send a message that the women and men of the Armed Forces, as well as their families, keep on carrying out the social work, which they have been zealously conducting for all these years, even more dynamically. Taking advantage of the chance given to me, I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all of you and say that through the briefing I received by the Hospital’s Administration and “Orama Elpidas”, I was truly impressed by the great work that is being carried out, and I am certain that in the following years, even greater capabilities will be achieved.

Many happy returns”.

Watch the video footage of the statement here: https://we.tl/t-RZutHn5OPe