The story of Maria

Maria is a 3 year-old-girl from Athens. Two years ago, she had been subjected to a liver transplant at the ISMETT transplant center of Palermo in Italy. Today, on 12.5.2021 , the little girl will be admitted to the same medical facility, since she has manifested serious complications!
The little girl was first hospitalized on 30.7.2018 , when she was just 3 months old. Back then, the attending doctors at the Pediatrics Department of the University of Athens diagnosed her with biliary atresia. The little girl underwent surgery in July 2018 . Unfortunately the surgery wasn’t successful and in February of 2019 her liver function begun to deteriorate. The doctors then recommended that she were transferred to the ISMETT transplant center in Palermo, where she underwent a liver transplant. Her father had to donate a part of his liver. After the transplant, the doctors prescribed her immunosuppressive agents in order to eliminate the chances of transplant rejection. The long-term use of immunosuppressive medication caused serious complications to her health. In November of 2020, after manifesting symptoms of pneumonia and tachypnea, she was rushed to the hospital. The lung biopsy along with a series of other tests indicated that the child should undergo a procedure so that the doctors could insert a chest tube (Bülau drain). During this procedure, she suffered desaturation. She was then immediately intubated and transferred to the PICU of Agia Sofia Hospital. The doctors recommended that she stopped taking her immunosuppressive medication, although this strategy could result to a transplant rejection. After her extubation, she kept on talking her medication however the doctors became concerned that she may be suffering from post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), a rare complication that causes white blood cells called lymphocytes to multiply out of control. This disorder could lead to a full-blown lymph node cancer (lymphoma).
The attending doctors of Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital recommended her immediate transfer at the ISMETT transplant center in Palermo, in order to reevaluate her health condition and treat her, so that she doesn’t suffer pulmonary fibrosis or, in worst case scenario, reject her transplant. If this were to happen, her life could be at serious risk.
The earliest date for her admission at the ISMETT transplant center was on 26/4/2021, but due to bureaucratic procedures, the date moved back on 12/5/2021.
This little girl’s parents are constantly by her side, doing everything they possibly can in order to save her life. However, the hospitalization and course of treatment at the ISMETT center, requires a lot of money and even though a part of the expenses will be paid by their health insurance, this multi-child family cannot afford her hospitalization.
Due to the urgency of this case, our organization has already made the necessary arrangements for their transportation and lodging. However, they still have a long way to go, since they haven’t been accurately informed about the nature or the duration of the course of treatment.
Let us all contribute, so that this little girl can make a full recovery!

Update 07.08.2021

After being hospitalized for two months in the ISMETT transplant center of Palermo, Maria has finally returned home! Thanks to your defining contribution, all of her treatment expenses were taken care of. According to the medical stuff, the course of treatments has been completed successfully, while the pulmonary fibrosis and transplant rejection were prevented. However, the girl will continue to receive the recommended medication and will be closely monitored by the doctors in Athens. 

On behalf of her family, we would like to kindly thank all of you for your support and your defining contribution!

The “Act of Kindness” organization will stand by this family for as long as needed. 

We will keep you updated!

The story of Georgia-Sofia

Georgia-Sofia is a 16 year-old girl from Preveza who urgently needs our help!
On July of 2017, Georgia-Sofia, who was 13 years old at the time, had been in a car accident with her parents. She had sustained massive craniocerebral injuries and she was rushed to the hospital of Preveza. Following the doctors’ orders, she was transferred to the General Hospital of Ioannina G. Hatzikostas and three days later she was transferred to the University Hospital of Ioannina, where she was subjected to a craniectomy. A month later, she was transferred to the ICU of the Children’s Hospital “P. & A. Kyriakou”, where the attending doctors came to the conclusion that her condition didn’t require any more surgeries, since she was in a vegetative state. Following doctors’ orders, on September of 2017, the young girl was once again transferred to a private rehabilitation clinic in Larissa, in order to be treated by physiatrist. From November 2017 till December of the same year, Georgia-Sofia was subjected to three cranioplasty surgeries. The operations were successful and her eye contact gradually started to improve. The young girl returned to the rehabilitation clinic in order to proceed with her treatments and in August of 2020 she finally returned home. Thanks to her two-year hospitalization, and thanks to the tremendous help of the attending physicians, Georgia-Sofia’s condition has shown some improvement.
However, she still has a long way to go, since, according to the official medical report, she suffers from spastic quadriplegia and has a 95% disability rating. The attending doctors have strongly recommended that she proceeds with her physiotherapy and speech therapy sessions, since she cannot function on her own.
Her parents have never left her side doing everything they possibly can in order to alleviate her suffering. Her mother was also severely injured in the car accident, therefore she cannot work or care for her daughter. The father had to quit his job since he had to take care of his wife and daughter. The parents had rented an apartment in Larissa, so that they could be close to their daughter during her hospitalization in the rehabilitation clinic. Even though a part of the expenses was paid by their health insurance, Georgia-Sofia’s condition has taken a toll on the parents, both financially and emotionally. Today, the family cannot afford the recommended treatments for their daughter’s recovery.
Together, we can help Georgia-Sofia get her life back!
Together, we can stand by this family!

Update 02.07.2021

According to the attending physicians who have been treating her on daily basis, Georgia-Sofia’s condition has shown great improvement. She now receives nutrients orally therefore, her weight is gradually stabilizing. Furthermore, her lab results look very promising. 

Thanks to her physiotherapist, Mr. Apostolis Tsilakos, Georgia-Sofia is slowly but steady overcoming her mobility issues, since she can now use the standing device for up to 30 minutes at a time. According to the child psychiatrist who is treating her, the improvement of her physical health, combined with the loving environment of her home, has also improved her mental health. 

However, she still has a long way to go, since it’s imperative to proceed with her treatments, in order to make a full recovery. 

We would like to kindly thank all of you, for supporting Georgia-Sofia and her family! 

Thanks to your defining contribution, the “Act of Kindness” organization will keep on supporting this family for as long as needed.

We will keep you updated!

Update on Georgia-Sofia’s condition

The third grade students of Andreadis Schools welcomed us with joy and excitement! We had the chance to educate them about non-profit organizations around the world and about the charity work that they provide. We also organized a creative writing workshop, where the children participated by writing short scripts under the title of "Acts of kindness in our everyday life". We would like to kindly thank their teachers, Katerina Kossifa and Georgios Papachristos, as well as the administration of Andreadis Schools for their hospitality and for the trust they have shown in us! Until next time!

We would like to kindly thank the "SocialPlate" for their support and for the trust they have shown in us. The donated fresh fruits and vegetables will be distributed by the "Act of Kindness" organization to families in need!

“Elpida”, the cultural society of the municipality of Skydra, is throwing a “Concert of Kindness”, on Wednesday, July 14th, at 9:00 pm, at the Open Theater of the municipality of Skydra. All ticket revenue will be raised for Maria-Eleni’s surgery! 

Let’s all enjoy a magical evening dedicated to Maria-Eleni!

We will all be there!   

Performing:

Zafeiris Melas

Vasilis Mpatis

Evita Sereti

Nikos Romanos

Konstantinos Sarbinos

Avgi Triantafilidou

Stavros Pazarentsis

Father’s day is dedicated to fathers all over the world, but also to fatherhood itself and to its contribution to society. 

Given the fact that fatherhood is often underestimated in the modern world, the purpose of this day is to make us realize that the role of the father is just as important as the role of the mother.

Best wishes to all the fathers in the world!