Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva received the prestigious ELPIDA award by the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer in Greece.

The award was presented to her by President of the ELPIDA Association Marianna Vardinoyannis during a visit to the association which took place as part of President Ilham Aliyev's state visit to Athens.

Mehriban Aliyeva met the children being treated at the association and their parents.

During the visit, a video was played about the activities of the Association.

Addressing the event, Vardinoyannis praised Heydar Aliyev Foundation's educational, healthcare, cultural and humanitarian projects in Azerbaijan and in the world.

Vardinoyannis also highlighted the projects of ELPIDA, and its relations with Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Azerbaijan's First Lady made a speech at the event. She praised Azerbaijan-Greece relations, saying they are based on mutual benefit, partnership and respect.

"Our close relations cover a lot of areas, including political, economic and humanitarian ones," she said.

Mehriban Aliyeva recalled her first visit to ELPIDA.

"I first visited ELPIDA Association five years ago. I was deeply impressed by your achievements then. I would like to express my gratitude to you for your noble mission," she noted.

Mehriban Aliyeva thanked ELPIDA Association's president for the award.

"I consider this award as recognition of what the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is doing in the field of healthcare," she stressed.

Later, Mehriban Aliyeva attached a star with her name to the board featuring the names of the honorary guests who visited ELPIDA.

The First Lady then presented the children with gifts on behalf of Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer was founded in 1990 with the aim of providing care to children with cancer.

It was established by a group of women, headed by Marianna Vardinoyannis. Their decision to care about sick children was a pleasant surprise for Greek society at the time. With vision, audacity and determination, with planning and, most of all, with their own hard work, the members of the Association have managed to turn misfortune into hope for life for hundreds of children.

ELPIDA's first and fundamental goal was the creation of a model medical unit, something that did not exist in Greece at the time: a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, where transplants could be carried out on children who suffer from hematological, genetic and hereditary diseases, such as leukemia, solid tumors, neuroblastomas, Mediterranean Anemia (b-Thalassemia) and others.

The first goal was achieved and in 1993 the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit was opened at the 'Aghia Sophia' Children's Hospital.

Later, Mehriban Aliyeva and Marianna Vardinoyannis made a tour of Acropolis Museum. It features the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens.

UNESCO goodwill ambassadors Mehriban Aliyeva and Marianna Vardinoyannis then dined together.