Oncology Department «Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA» OF AGHIA SOFIA CHILDREN S HOSPITAL αthens 2010 Greece
«Love is the foundation of this hospital. Each one of its stones is a piece of our hearts. Each one of its rooms is a place of hope and life.» (Excerpt from the speech of Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of ELPIDA Association, at the Hospital s laying-stone ceremony, 24-4-2007)
Through the support of Greek society, ELPIDA s great vision has become a reality. It is with great gratitude and pride that ELPIDA Friends Association of Children with cancer is offering the Children s Oncology Department Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA to the Greek State, hoping that it will become a spring-board of victory and a starting point of a new life for each child that crosses its threshold.
"Ε LPIDA" Friends Association of Children with cancer marks its twentieth year of service in the battle against children's cancer. During this time, there was nothing more painful to us rather than the anxiety in the eyes of parents and the question in the eyes of children. There was nothing more disappointing than the waiting list which sometimes, due to lack of hospital beds, was about to become a list without destination. The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, the first such unit in Greece, was founded by our Association in 1993. Up to date, this unit has given 520 children a new opportunity in life and has paved the way to the creation of the first oncology hospital for children in our country. The hospital not only became ELPIDA's greatest goal, but also a vision to the Greek nation that embraced and supported it with all its strength. Therefore, love was gradually becoming the foundation of the hospital, and each one of its stones was made of a piece of our heart... Our vision has become a reality today, to be handed over to Greek society and to the next generations. With 138 beds, the latest in modern equipment and a fairytale environment for children, as prescribed by innovative psychological researches on the impact of space on therapy, the hospital places Greece among the pioneer countries in the fight against children's cancer. Let our best wishes accompany the hospital, together with our promise that we will always support it, standing by the side of children who have the right to life and deserve to live it happily! Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO President of ELPIDA Friends Association of Children with cancer
THE CHILDREN S ONCOLOGY department "Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA" After the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and the Guest House, the Children s Oncology Department Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA is the third link in ELPIDA s chain of love for the sick child.
The goal of the Children's Oncology Department is to cover all hospitalization needs for children in Greece with neoplastic diseases and malignant blood diseases and to contribute decisively to child cancer research. The first step of ELPIDA towards the fight against children s cancer was the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit,founded in 1993, at the AGIA SOFIA Children's Hospital. 520 children won a chance to life, so far. As a second step, the creation of ELPIDA s Guest House followed, hosting more than 650 families and children with cancer were hosted up to date, for an average of two years. The Guest House became their new home in Athens. Today, ELPIDA hands over a model Children's Oncology hospital to the Greek State. It will come under the AGIA SOPHIA Children's Hospital administration and will bear the name of its benefactor and society donor: MARIANNA V. VARDINOYANNIS ELPIDA.
A view of the Unit s departments The Children's Oncology Department will cover a huge vacancy that existed up to now, not only in Greece but in the Balkans as well: the hospitalization of the constantly rising number of children with cancer. It was built and equipped, medically and structurally exclusively by ELPIDA. It is connected to the AGIA SOFIA Children's Hospital by an air corridor. The existing Oncology Units of the AGIA SOFIA and AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Children's Hospitals will be transferred there. Our hope is the new Oncology Deparment to become a Centre of Excellence for the effective handling of children's cancer, ensuring a high level of nursing services for children with neoplastic diseases and malignant blood diseases, while minimizing the waiting period of admittance to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, an issue that up to now was a serious obstacle to the improvement of the children's' health. The main entrance
The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Oncology-Haematology Nursing Units There will also be further development of research programs and application of cell and gene therapy in dealing with genetic and neoplastic diseases. The building plans of the Children's Oncology Department encompass a complex of five buildings with a total area of 14,911 sq.m., based on the latest scientific guidelines in order to cover the children's needs of full diagnosis, nursing and treatment in a children-friendly envoironment.
THE OPERATIONAL UNITS of the oncology department Bone Marrow Transplant Nursing Unit (capacity of 18 beds) Three Oncology - Haematology Nursing Units (capacity of 29 beds each) Three Units for Outpatient Nursing of Oncology - Haematology Departments (capacity of 8 beds each) Outpatient Nursing Unit for Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (capacity of 5 beds) Radiation Treatment Unit (capacity of 1 bed) In Vitro Laboratory Pain Medical Centre Regular Outpatient Consulting Rooms Blood Donor Centre Positron Emission Tomography (P.E.T.) diagnostic unit Nuclear Medicine Unit (with gamma camera) Conference room School for hospitalized children Guest House for parents Psychological Support Center for children (run by ELPIDA Association) Outpatient clinics, amphitheatre, nursing units and PET diagnostic unit
THE BUILDING AS A LINK TO TREATMENT It is well known that environment holds a key-role in a patient's progress. According to latest researches, environment plays an even bigger role when it comes for children. In the Oncology Department's architectural design, there was special emphasis placed on the creation of a pleasant environment, both interior and exterior, using original shapes and alternating colour schemes, appropriate plants and playground areas. Emphasis was also placed on the decoration of buildings interiors, which were designed to create a fairytale atmosphere, and carry a child's imagination away from the harsh reality of hospitalization. The interior decoration concept is unique worldwide and the Oncology Department becames a prototype. School. Nursing Units. Playground.
Αll around the buildings, we can see pictures chosen carefully by ELPIDA, in order the hospitalization of childen to become more pleasant in their minds and more "temporary" in their hearts. Main entrance lobby
THE decoration THEME: A CHILD S JOURNEY The central idea behind the interior decoration scheme is based on the idea of a child's journey. The main character of this journey is a young girl named Elpida (Hope), who is traveling around the globe. During this trip she sees beautiful places and meets even more wonderful people. She sees images that up to now existed only in her dreams and in the world of books and comes into contact with foreign civilizations. She meets children of her own age and shares with them her love of life, thirst for knowledge and life experiences and builds friendships that are priceless. Filled with beautiful memories and gratitude for this unique experience, she feels the need to share her excitement with her new dear friends; the children staying at the Oncology Department. More than anything else, she wants to share some of the pleasure she felt through her contact with other cultures, nature and the people she met during her trips around the world. Internal views
Nursing Units.
Play & Creativity areas In a fairytale environment, Elpida welcomes her friends and guides them on a magic journey around the world. The difficult hours of the desease become hours of joy and games for the young patients, as it is pointed out by recent studies on the effect of the environment on child psychology.
Illustrations The walls in each unit are covered by large photographs that depict the major characteristics of Elpida's destinations, or drawings of places, animals and people from each country (ex. Pyramids of Egypt, The Great Wall of China, Cowboys, camels and children wearing national costumes). The hallways are covered by travel pictures (airplanes, clouds etc.) that prepare the little travellers for the arrival to the country of destination. The colourful floors have lightly shaded figures or landscapes (ex. Cacti, horses and wild-west cowboys). The details making these artistic depictions original and unique are made by the illustrator Lyda Varvarousi, who worked with the study team in creating the final result. We hope that Elpida will win a special place in the young patients' hearts, as often happens with figures appearing in fairytales. We see Elpida's figure "sneaking" into pictures in several public areas. Sometimes she is seen waiving to a camel driver and holding a camera, while at others she is posing for a picture with new friends. Details of the interior decoration.
Details of the interior decoration.
From October 14, 2010 Elpida's heart will beat for hundreds of children with cancer who cross the threshold of the Children's Oncology Department "MARIANNA V. VARDINOYANNIS - ELPIDA". Our love goes out to each one, along with the wish that this hospital becomes the spring board of victory and the starting point of a new life. "ELPIDA" Friends' Association of Children with cancer is grateful to everyone who contributed to this mission and helped the vision come true! Clinic for minor surgeries. Internal hallway.
Oncology Department "Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA" Agia Sofia Children's Hospital Levadias street, 11527 Goudi, Athens, Greece Head Office: 46 Mikras Asias street, 115 27 Goudi, Athens, Greece Offices: 10 Pindarou street, 106 71 Athens, Greece Τel.: +30.210.7757153, +30.210.7757934 Fax: +30.210.7752989 E-mail: info@elpida.org