The “We Care- Refugee Child Medical Assistance Program” of the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation” started on October 7, 2015, offering medical care to refugee children, aged 1 to 16 years old, that were hosted at the Galatsi Olympic Indoor Sports Hall in Athens.

The program is an initiative of the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, and concerns infants, children and teenagers up to 16 years old. Through this program, they receive free medical assistance, prevention checking and vaccination.

At the start of the “We Care” Program implementation 110 vaccinations were performed and medical assistance was offered to 190 children of refugees by volunteer pediatricians and nurses of the “Agia Sophia Children’s Hospital”. Each child received a temporary personal health record booklet in Greek and English, especially created by the “We Care” program, to help to their future medical history but also to their easy access to the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital in case of emergency.

Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis was present in order to meet and support the children as well as to offer them the “teddy” bag of the program. Apart from the medical assistance, the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation” offers “teddy” bags filled with food supplies and a small teddy bear to all the children and the teenagers who are examined by the doctors. Among the items distributed in the “teddy” bags of the first “We Care” mission were products which were voluntarily offered by several companies in order to help in this effort. These companies are: Nestle Hellas S.A., General Mills Hellas S.A., KARAMOLEGOS S.A., E. I. PAPADOPOULOS S.A., Bag & Bag S.A.he “Central Association of Municipalities of Greece” and the Athens Medical Association, to help to their future medical history but also to their easy access to the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital in case of emergency

“We Care” Program is implemented with the co-operation of the Charitable Organization “MISSION” of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens chaired by H.B. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, the “Central Union of Greek Municipalities” (KEDE) chaired by the Mayor of Amaroussion Mr. George Patoulis, the “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital and the “Athens Medical Association”.

The first day of the program was attended by Mr. George Patoulis-Mayor of Amaroussion and President of the “Central Association of Municipalities of Greece”, the Mayor of Galatsi Mr. George Markopoulos, Mr. Emmanuil Papasavvas – CEO of the “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Mr. Kostas Dimtsas – Director of the Charitable Organisation “MISSION” together with volunteers, Sakis Rouvas –pop star as the first volunteer of the program, as well as Dr Athanasios Michos- Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Infectious Diseases, Dr Natalia Ioakimidou-Pediatrician and many other volunteer doctors and nurses.

The program will be continued to other parts of Athens and of Greece.