The Deputy Minister of National Defense Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias and o President of the Board of Directors of the National Transplant Organization Mr. George Papatheodoridissigned today, Thursday, December 15, 2022, a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense and the Organization, in a ceremony held in the “IOANNIS KAPODISTRIAS” room, at the Ministry of National Defense.

Vice-Chief GEETHA Vice Admiral was present Ioannis Drymousis PN, the Director of the Directorate of Health of the General Directorate of Health of the General Staff (YI) Dimitrios HatzigeorgiouDirectors and Officers of the competent Directorates of the General Staffs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, while from the Organization’s side the Head of Directorate Mr. Stavros Kepentzis and the Head of the Cell Transplantation Department Mr. Anastasios Manolis. Also present were the Scientific Director and member of the Board of Directors of the “VISION ELPIDAS ASSOCIATION”, Mr. Stylianos Grafakosas a representative of the Center for Informing & Attracting Voluntary Bone Marrow Donors of the University of Patras – “Harise Zoi”, Mrs. Maria Kostoglou and the President of “WinCancer – WeCan” K. Pisti Krystallidou.

With the signed Memorandum, the two Parties proceed, through the implementation of targeted actions, in a collaboration with a strong social footprint for the information and awareness of the personnel of the Armed Forces regarding the search, reception and transfer of a transplant of primordial hematopoietic cells, the treatment of patients with serious hematological diseases, as well as strengthening the work of the National Transplant Organization, but also with the aim of attracting/increasing the number of volunteer bone marrow donors.

The Memorandum of Cooperation, which comes into force today, with its signature by the representatives of the two Parties, is valid for two years.

The Deputy Minister of National Defense Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias, after signing the Memorandum, addressed the following greeting:

“The signing of this memorandum, between the Ministry of National Defense and the National Transplantation Organization, confirms our common desire to proceed with a beneficial collaboration with a strong social footprint, which will aim to inform and raise awareness of the Armed Forces personnel regarding the search , receiving and transplanting stem cells for the treatment of patients with serious hematological diseases and increasing the number of volunteer bone marrow donors.

It is an indisputable fact that the National Transplantation Organisation, from its establishment until today, has continuously provided valuable services, making a decisive contribution to assisting the transplantation work of the Ministry of Health, in terms of the formulation and implementation of the national policy in the field of donation and transplantation organs, tissues and cells.

In this timeless contribution of the Organization, the officers of the Armed Forces, through the high spirit of social solidarity and contribution that they possess, wish to run as a valuable helper and supporter, giving their own dynamic presence for the benefit of the social interest in the critical field of health.

And I would like to assure you that this assistance of theirs will be another “small”, but typical example of their continuous contribution in every area critical for the maintenance of social cohesion, a contribution that makes the Armed Forces the recipient of universal recognition, reinforcing that further the broken relationship of trust that they have developed over time with the Greek citizens.

The Ministry of National Defense strongly supports the work of the National Transplantation Organization in its effort to increase the number of voluntary bone marrow donors and through the signing of this memorandum hopes to make a vital contribution to the promotion and securing of the most precious good, the good of life itself.».