MITERA Children’s Hospital establishes an Oncology Center for children & adolescents and the first Cancel Survivors Clinic in Greece
MITERA Children’s Hospital, a member of HYGEIA Group, has announced the establishment of an Oncology Center for children and adults, staffed with highly-acclaimed medical and nursing staff, as well as a psychosocial support group. The Oncology Center will incorporate an inpatient hospitalization unit, a one-day hospitalization unit and an outpatient clinic.
Adhering to the belief that “When a child gets sick, the whole family suffers”, the Oncology Center will also receive moral support from FLOGA, the Parents Association of children with cancer. As it is known, the management of HYGEIA Group has been standing by the Association for many years.
Moreover, taking into account the European standards on offering quality healthcare and the Erice Statement (Sicily, October 2006), MITERA Children’s Hospital is establishing the first Clinic in Greece for Cancer Survivors (NiKa). The acronym stands for “people who defeated cancer (Ni =victory Ka = cancer). The exclusive aim of the Clinic – in partnership with KYTTARO, the Greek Cancer Survivors Association – is to offer care to cancer survivors. The Oncology Center and the NiKa Clinic will be staffed with experienced scientists covering a wide range of specialties.
These news were announced during a Press Conference on Wednesday 5 February at the N. Louros Conference Center, located within MITERA Hospital.
In statements she made, MITERA’s Chairwoman, Ms Areti Souvatzoglou, noted, “With the establishment of an Oncology Center as well as the first NiKa Clinic in Greece and with the experience gained by MITERA Children’s Hospitals functioning for over 10 years, it is now possible for us to make young patients and their suffering parents smile again. Being fully aware of how special and significant it is to offer quality and essential care to children and adolescents with cancer, MITERA Children’s Hospital is standing by the families, securing a better future for them providing special follow up and care after therapy completion as well.”
On her part, Dr Helen Vasilatou-Kosmidis, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist and Director of the Oncology Center, stated, “Every year, 14 out of 100,000 children from birth to the age of 15, and 20 in 100,000 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 are diagnosed with cancer. In the EU, 20,000 young individuals (from birth to the age of 19) are affected by cancer every year. Despite the rarity of the disease, cancer is the most common cause of death for children after the first year of their life if deaths from accidents are excluded. (10% of deaths). With today’s modern diagnostic approaches, physician’s knowledge of early signs, well established treatments and strong medical and psychosocial support, cancer can be treated successfully, and 3 out of 4 children in developed countries are cured. According to international statistics, 1 out of 570 people aged between 25 and 35 diagnosed with cancer in childhood are fully cured of the disease.”
Dr Evangelia Lagona, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Athens and Scientific Director at MITERA Children’s Hospital, welcomed the Oncology Center for children and adolescents and the NiKa Clinic to the MITERA Children’s Hospital family. She further noted, “The Children’s Hospital of HYGEIA Group offers top pediatric services, faithfully serving pediatric hospitalization. The establishment of the Oncology Center for children and adolescents expands further the services provided by MITERA Children’s Hospital, which now covers the entire range of healthcare services. These services will be supported by acclaimed scientists from all pediatric specialties and subspecialties. We are extremely proud of the initiative launched by HYGEIA Group’s management to establish an Oncology Center within MITERA Children’s Hospital, headed by Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist Helen Vasilatou-Kosmidis. Dr Kosmidis has extensive experience and deep knowledge in the field of pediatric cancer, and is renowned for her significant and recognizable contribution to children with cancer and their families. I believe that the MITERA Children’s Hospital Oncology Center will soon become a model institution, comparable to similar centers abroad.”
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