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- Ελληνικά
Thursday, 15 February 2024, 6.00 p.m, Chamber of the House of Representatives
Dear Madam Deputy Minister of Culture,
Dear colleagues, dear colleagues,
Dear medical and nursing staff of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of Makareion Hospital,
Dear members of the board of directors of the Pancyprian Association of Parents and Friends of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic,
Dear teachers,
Dear parents,
My dear children,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with great joy and emotion that we inaugurate tonight the exhibition of paintings entitled "With a golden ribbon", consisting of works by children of the Children's Oncology Clinic of Makareion Hospital. The exhibition will be hosted at the Parliament until 29 February 2024 and is being held for the second time by the members of the Pancyprian Association of Parents and Friends of the Paediatric Oncology Clinic, whom I warmly congratulate, both for the wonderful idea of hosting the exhibition in the Parliament building and for the support they so generously offer to the families of children hospitalized at Makarios Hospital. At the same time, a voluntary blood donation was carried out this morning here in the House of Representatives in cooperation with the Blood Bank, in the context of World Childhood Cancer Day.
As the House of Representatives, we actively express our unconditional support for children suffering from cancer and their families through various actions, with the aim that our children always have a quality of life, contributing positively to their healthy psychosomatic state. Enabling these children to engage in activities that can weave a colourful web in their souls, breathing new life into them and opening a new window, is an imperative objective for all stakeholders.
So today is a day filled with feelings of gratitude and hope for tomorrow. The gold ribbon, a material that was used and stands out both in the constructions and in the designs of the children and their parents, symbolizes awareness against childhood cancer. Today's day was chosen symbolically, as it has been established, at the initiative of the International Parents with Children with Cancer Association, as World Childhood Cancer Day, with the aim of raising awareness of childhood neoplasms and sensitising the wider community to the needs of children affected by cancer around the world. In the context of awareness-raising, it should be noted that approximately 50% of childhood cancer cases occur from infancy to the age of four years.
More than 80% of childhood cancer cases are curable if diagnosed early. However, detection is far from easy, as the early symptoms are often similar to those of other childhood diseases and viruses.
At this point I feel the deepest need to warmly congratulate the interdisciplinary team, the medical and nursing staff of the Paediatric Oncology Unit of Makarios Hospital for the wonderful work they do, which, in addition to the medical care of children, which sometimes consists of surgery and chemotherapy, also involves psychosocial support for both children and their families. The close cooperation between the nursing and medical team and the child's parents is an essential element for the successful treatment, support and care of the child.
Many congratulations are also due to the teachers of the kindergarten and the primary school of Makarios Hospital, who with great empathy provide the students with useful tools and entertainment, thus ensuring the smoothness of their school life. In the context of the warm school environment that has been created, a climate of trust is promoted, so that the children maintain their self-esteem and their positive attitude towards the hospital environment.
I wish the parents good strength and have faith that everything will go well!
My dear children,
Well done for your attitude to life, for the strength of your souls and for the patient battle you are fighting, proving every day that you are, I will not say small, but great heroes!
I will close with the resigned words of the famous British musician John Lennon:
"Measure your age by your friends, not by your years. Measure your life by smiles, not tears."
(Text as sent from the House of Representatives)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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