“Unlimited Breath- Be a life donor” was the moto of this year Worldwide CF Day.
Worldwide CF Day is celebrated on September 8, raising public awareness of the most common genetic disease in the caucasians. Cystic Fibrosis affects over 80,000 patients worldwide with a low life expectancy and affects many organs, mainly the lungs and pancreas. The complications in the respiratory system that destroy the lungs over time are considered critical for the progress of the disease. For CF patients who are in severe lung condition, the only solution to survive is having a lung transplant.
In the context of the Worldwide CF Day and the 40th anniversary of the Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association, the Association organized new actions for the “Unlimited Breath – Be a life donor” campaign, under the auspices of the National Transplantation Organization, the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, the “Tzaneio” General Hospital of Piraeus and the Municipality of Korydallos. The Association’s campaign has launched in 2020 with the support of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mrs. Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Campaign actions:
– Mural at “Tzanio” General Hospital of Piraeus, depicting a real CF patient, the only one in Greece who has undergone 2 lung transplants.
– Information booth in Omonia Square, the most central square of Athens.
– Music concert with the music band “48 Hours” at the theater of Korydallos “Thanasis Vengos”, on September 20, with free entrance.
Support message from the Greek Minister of Health, Mr. Michalis Chrysochoidis.
Support messages from the President of the Onassis Foundation, Mr. Antonis Papadimitriou, the President of the EOM, Professor Mr. Georgios Papatheodoridis, the President of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Professor Mr. Ioannis Boletis and the Director of the “Tzanio” General Hospital of Piraeus, Mr. Ilias Gouzouasis.
“During the celebrations of this year’s Worldwide Cystic Fibrosis Day, the European Transplant Conference was held, in our country for the first time in Athens. Our campaign actions this year focused on highlighting the struggle of our patients for Unlimited Breath ans also the value of organ donation. Our goal is to raise awareness for our disease and to support the great effort made in our country to increase the number of organ donors in Greece,” said the President of the Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association, Anna Spinou.
“In the face of Stella who is depicted in our second mural at the Tzanio Hospital, we are highlight the hope and the struggle of all those who fought for their breath and managed to be reborn, to be transformed. In our music concert at the theater of Korydallos “Thanasis Vengos” we highlighted the new optimism that is born in Cystic Fibrosis celebrating the 40th anniversary of our Association. An unforgettable evening of joy and hope for Cystic Fibrosis patients, who have suffered so much and we are finally able to win Unlimited Breath and 2nd chance at life thnaks to innovative treatments and lung transplantations. We continue with will and strength the difficult work that we have undertaken in the Association for four decades for a better future for Cystic Fibrosis patients and their families. We thank once again the President of the Hellenic Republic, the Greek Minister of Health, the President of EOM, the Onassis Foundation, the Onasio Cardiac Surfery Center, the Director of Tzanei Hospital, the street artist Hambas, the Mayor of Korydallos, the music band “48 Hours”, our sponsors and supporters for supporting the fight of CF patients.”
HCFA’s second mural at Tzanio General Hospital Piraeus, depicting the only Greek CF patient who has had a lung transplant not once, but twice.
Moments from the Association’s concert with the music band “48 Ores”.
A touching moment when children from the Municipality of Korydallos climbed onto the stage of the concert with the banner they created for Cystic Fibrosis patients and released balloons into the sky sending away the wish for Unlimited Breath.
The music band “48 Ores” with great energy turned the concert into an interactive party of joy and happiness declaring: “We are really grateful that we were given the opportunity to participate in the great communication effort of the Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association with the general public. Knowing personally the people of the Association and after being informed about their difficult struggle, 48 ORES pledge that from now on we will always be at the side of the Association in all its future actions. People of next door, courageous, full of faith in their daily struggle, gathered with their optimism as a weapon and art as an ally. Among them people who attended the music concert and learned about CF for the first time. A big celebration is the biggest motivation for us all to come together. A big celebration gave people of all ages the opportunity to get information about the most common genetic disease and prevention. A big celebration managed to raise awareness on organ donation. We wish that each of your struggles will be a victory and a celebration.”
The information booth in Omonia Square, where Cystic Fibrosis patients themselves, together with their parents, take the lead in informing and raising awareness about their disease.
We sincerely thank our sponsors: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Onassis Foundation, Gilead, Motor Oil, our media sponsors: Life Valley, TheDailyHeath, News4Health, HealthWeb, as well as the National Transplant Organization, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, “Tzaneio” General Hospital of Piraeus and the Municipality of Korydallos for their support of our campaign actions.
