Azerbaijani first lady Mehriban Aliyeva visits ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer in Athens

Athens, June 15 (AzerTAc). Azerbaijani first lady Mehriban Aliyeva has visited ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer as part of President Ilham Aliyev`s state visit to Athens. Mehriban Aliyeva met the children being treated at the association and their parents. The event featured demonstration of a video about the activities of the Association. President of the Association Marianna Vardinoyannis addressed the event to praise the Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s educational, healthcare, cultural and humanitarian projects in Azerbaijan and in the world. Mrs. Vardinoyannis highlighted the projects of ELPIDA, and its relations with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. She handed ELPIDA award to Mehriban Aliyeva. The Azerbaijani first lady made a speech at the event. She praised Azerbaijan-Greece relations, saying they were based on mutual benefit, partnership and respect. “Our close relations cover a lot of areas, including political, economic and humanitarian ones.” The Azerbaijani first lady recalled her first visit to ELPIDA. “I first visited ELPIDA Association five years ago. I was deeply impressed by your achievements then. I would like to express my gratitude to you for your noble mission.” Mehriban Aliyeva thanked the ELPIDA president for the award. “I consider this award as recognition of what the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is doing in the field of healthcare.” X X X Mehriban Aliyeva then attached a star with her name to the board featuring the names of the honorary guests who visited ELPIDA. The first lady then presented the children with gifts on behalf of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. `ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer was founded in 1990 with the aim of providing care to children with cancer. It was established by a group of responsive women, headed by president Marianna Vardinoyannis. Their decision to rally to the side of sick children was a pleasant surprise for Greek society at the time. With vision, audacity and determination, with planning and, most of all, with their own hard work, the members of the Association managed to turn misfortune into hope for life for hundreds children. ELPIDA’s first and fundamental goal was the creation of a model medical unit, something that did not exist in Greece at the time: a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMTU), where transplants could be carried out on children who suffer from hematological, genetic and hereditary diseases, such as leukemia, solid tumors, neuroblastomas, Mediterranean Anemia (b-Thalassemia) and others. The first goal was achieved and in 1993 the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit was opened at the “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital. X X X Mehriban Aliyeva and Marianna Vardinoyannis then viewed the Acropolis Museum. It features the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. X X X UNESCO goodwill ambassadors Mehriban Aliyeva and Marianna Vardinoyannis then dined together.