The Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis attends an informative event for awareness regarding the voluntary donation to patients in need of bone marrow[...]

Home >3rd position> The Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis attends an informative event for awareness regarding the voluntary donation to patients in need of bone marrow transplant, which took place at the Hellenic Army Academy.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis attends an informative event for awareness regarding the voluntary donation to patients in need of bone marrow transplant, which took place at the Hellenic Army Academy.

April 29, 2024

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannisattended today, Monday 29 April 2024, an event which took place at the Hellenic Army Academy for information and awareness regarding the voluntary donation of blood stem cells and the significance of their provision to patients in need of bone marrow transplant. In the framework of the event, 311 Academy Cadets became bone marrow donors.

During Mr Kefalogiannis' intervention, he stressed that the main axes of solidarity of the Armed Force members towards the Greek society for 2024 will be voluntary blood donation, bone marrow donation and information regarding developmental disorders, such as autism. He stressed that actions like this one, pertaining to bone marrow donation, certify the fact that the Armed Forces were always at the forefront and took initiatives of intense social nature, daily proving that selfless contribution is a moral obligation, but also the foundation of the military life.

During the event, the following individuals addressed the attendees: the Chief of HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the President of the Board of Directors of the National Transplant Organisation Professor Georgios Papatheodoridis, the Scientific Director of the "Orama Elpidas Association" Professor Stylianos Grafakos, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the "Agia Sofia" Children's Hospital and Α' Vice President of the "Orama Elpidas Association" Mr Emmanouil Papasavvas, the Director of the Volunteer Donors Centre of the Centre for Information & Attraction of Bone Marrow Volunteer Donors of the University of Patras Professor Alexandros Spyridonidis, the Student of the 5^thClass of the Hellenic Military Academy of Combat Support Officers, of the Medical School and Bone Marrow Donor MsMaria Goutzamaniand the Bone Marrow recipient Mr Panagiotis Kokkinos, while an address was sent by the Head of the Board of Advisors and Secretary General of the "Orama Elpidas Association" Ms Despina - Ino Konstantopoulou.

Others attendees were His Eminence the Metropolitan Bishop of Mesogea & Lavreotiki Mr Nikolaos, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, Representatives of the Chiefs of HNGS and HAFGS, the Commandant of the Hellenic Army Academy Major General Anastasios Polychronos, General (retired)and Honorary Chief of HAGS Charalambos Lalousis.

In his address, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis stated the following:

"I am particularly happy and honoured to welcome the commencement of a social actions cycle by the Armed Forces, which will take place during 2024. We wish the current year to stay etched in the minds of the Greek citizens as a "Year of Solidarity". Not as an exception to a rule - and how could it? Volumes would be needed for one to recite the contribution of the Armed Forces in every aspect of social life. But as the capstone of a contributing course through the ages, in every field: from MEDEVAC and the building of utilities projects to fire-fighting and assistance in natural disasters management. In all these and many more cases, the Armed Forces prove that they constitute a vital part of the Greek society. Natural disasters make no distinction between citizens and Armed Forces members. The lack of doctors in a regional hospital or a health centre does not solely affect the citizens, but also the families of the Armed Forces members. From that point of view, the actual solidarity of the Armed Forces is not simply an issue of a governmental choice. It is integrated in the spirit of their mission for the protection of the citizens' well-being, who in turn will be called to defend the homeland, whenever needed.

The main axes of solidarity of the Armed Forces members towards the Greek society for 2024 will be voluntary blood donation, bone marrow donation and information regarding developmental disorders, such as autism. These actions aim to establish awareness and the concern of the personnel when it comes to these significant social issues, which preoccupy a large number of our fellow humans, but also to urge people towards voluntarism and contribution to the fellow human next to us. In this framework, actions like this one, pertaining to bone marrow donation, certify the fact that the Armed Forces were always at the forefront and took initiatives of intense social nature, daily proving that selfless contribution is a moral obligation, but also the foundation of the military life.

Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff,

Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff,

Commandant of the Hellenic Army Academy,

Minister and honorary Chief,

You are justifiably proud of your Academy of origin. Not only because it ranks high in international military contests, proving its exquisite professional and academic level, but furthermore because it is distinguished for its social sensitivity and for the positive response in humanitarian actions and actions of solidarity like today. You are well-aware of the significance attributed by the political leadership to the military academies, as "seedbeds" of future leaders who will be called to nurture the young officers and NCOs but also the enlisted soldiers, all of whom will be members of a society which has to be aware of the human malady and immediately respond to the anguish of thousands of our fellow humans, willingly giving them hope. The oath "…until the last drop of my blood…" is materialised, not in wartime, something nobody wants, but in the everyday and harsh war of humans against maladies. I am convinced that the Hellenic Army Academy will have a strong presence here today, materialising the words of Pavlos Melas in his letter to the "Young Cadet": "Fight for your ideals, for the Greek ideals of Humanism".

Cadets,

Worthy continuators of the Academy's significant heritage, cultivate your spirit, expand your horizons, be informed and become a paragon of morale and contribution. Being myself a volunteer bone marrow donor, I would like to communicate to you my personal experience and impart to you the strong sentiment of moral satisfaction with my contribution to the pool of hope for patients in need of transplant. All of us together, as volunteer bone marrow donors, let us become protagonists of life.

President of the National Transplant Organisation,

The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the National Transplant Organisation, officially made us your strategic ally, marking our joint effort for information and attraction of volunteer donors. In cooperation with the "Orama Elpidas Association" and the Information and Attraction of Bone Marrow Donors Centre of the University of Patras, you are working tirelessly and are proving that certain notions are just "myths", you are daily raising the hopes for the survival of hundreds of patients. The duties which all of you perform are worthy of admiration and it is a particular honour for us to contribute to your noble cause. With my wishes for these Holy days, of the highest sacrifice of our Lord, I would like to stress that bone marrow donation constitutes the most hearty and tangible proof of contribution to the fellow human. Today's action comes to herald and certify, at the most appropriate time, with the support of the Ministry of National Defence, a year of information, awareness and contribution, based on love and solidarity. Happy Easter!"