“Unlimited Breath” is the claim of Cystic Fibrosis patients on this year’s World Cystic Fibrosis Day and they invite us to become organ donors to give a second chance to life to everyone who is at risk and in need of a transplant in order to live.
World Cystic Fibrosis Day is celebrated on September 8, raising awareness of the most common inherited disease in the white race. Cystic Fibrosis affects over 80,000 patients worldwide with a low life expectancy and affects many organs, most notably the lungs and pancreas. Complications in the respiratory system that destroy the lungs over time are considered critical to the patients’ course, having the overwhelmingly highest proportion among the causes of mortality from the disease. For patients in the final stages of respiratory function, the only option for survival is lung transplantation.
In the context of the World Cystic Fibrosis Day and the 40th anniversary of the Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association, the Association is organizing new actions for the campaign “Breathe Unlimited – Be a life donor” which has been launched since 2020 with the official supporter of the President of the Republic, Mrs. Sakellaropoulou Katerina.
The actions include:
– A mural at the Tzaneio Hospital in Piraeus, depicting a real patient, the only one with Cystic Fibrosis in Greece who has undergone two lung transplants. Watch here the video spotlight of the mural.
– An information booth at Omonia Square, on Friday 8 September, from 12.00am to 7.00pm.
– A musical awareness concert with the band “48 Ores” at the open theatre of Korydallos “Thanasis Vengos”, on September 20, at 20.00, with free entrance.
“This year’s World Cystic Fibrosis Day arrives with good news for our patients. The disease is changing face and new innovative treatments are transforming the disease, for the majority of our patients, from fatal to chronic, improving their quality of life and creating optimism for the future. But for some patients, lung transplantation continues to be the only survival option,” says the President of the Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association, Anna Spinou, and continues:
“In 2020, our Association launched the campaign “Breath Unlimited- Be a life donor” with the support of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The central action of our campaign is our first mural in the hospital of Nice, which depicts a real patient with Cystic Fibrosis who was transplanted at the age of 18. The campaign was awarded the Silver Healthcare Award 2021 managing, according to figures from the National Transplantation Agency, to triple the number of organ donors in 3 months amid the covid-19 pandemic.
In a few days, the European Transplantation Congress will take place for the first time in Athens, which is why our actions for World Cystic Fibrosis Day this year focus on highlighting not only the struggle of our patients, but also the value of organ donation.
Our goal is to support the great effort made by the State and the institutions of our country to increase the number of organ donors in Greece.
The new actions of the campaign “Breath unlimited – Be a life donor” start with our new mural at the Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus.The mural depicts Stella, a real patient with Cystic Fibrosis, the only one in Greece who has undergone, not once, but twice (!) a lung transplant, claiming for the second time the right for a second chance at life. In Stella’s face we capture the hope, the struggle of patients who fought for their breath and succeeded.They were able to be reborn, transformed and gain Unlimited Breath and a 2nd chance at life.The mural serves as a constant reminder to hospital visitors and the general public of our patients’ struggle and the value of organ donation. We would like to thank the Governor of the Tzaneio Hospital of Piraeus, Mr. Ilias Gouzouasis, for his immediate response from the very first moment, as well as the street artist Hambas for the excellent curation of the mural.”
The General Secretary of the Association, Konstantina Giannaki, states:
“This optimism and hope, which is born for patients with Cystic Fibrosis through the new innovative treatments that act on the causes of the disease and transplantation, we want to highlight in the concert that we will hold at the open theatre of Korydallos “Thanasis Vengos”, on September 20, at 20.00 with free admission, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of our Association. We are particularly grateful to the Mayor of Korydallos Mr. Nikolaos Hoursalas for his support of our event and his sensitivity towards patients with Cystic Fibrosis.
Our concert will start with short greetings from institutional representatives and video spots to raise awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and organ donation, while at the concert venue we will have our information booth to raise awareness about the disease and the value of organ donation.The musical program is provided by the well-known and beloved music band “48 Ores”, whom we thank warmly for their prompt response.Through a joyful musical program we will have fun and convey the optimism that the message of “Breathless Breath” and “2nd chance at life!”
The actions of the campaign “Breath Unlimited – Be a life donor” are under the auspices of the National Transplantation Organization, the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, the Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus and the Municipality of Korydallos.
Campaign supporters
Vertex Pharmaceuticals- Major Sponsor
Onassis Foundation- Silver Mural Sponsor
Gilead Sciences- Bronze Sponsor
Motor Oil- Donor
Communication Sponsors: HealthWeb, TheDailyHeath, Life Valley, News4Health
