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The enormous importance of prevention was the central message of the discussion that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had in his office, with 6 women who defeated breast cancer, a woman who is in the process of treatment and the oncologist Elena Linardou in the context of the World Day against this disease.
In a conversation with personal testimonies and intense emotional load, experiences of the operation of the Health System were presented and extensive reports were made on the dangers for vulnerable groups, at the time of the pandemic.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a free mammogram program every two years, for all women ages 49 and 50. The cost of the digital mammogram will be fully covered by EOPYY. The procedure will be performed in collaboration with the private sector and will involve all women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer and have not had a preventive mammogram in the last two years.
The exam will be repeated every 2 years and the goal is, as noted by Mr. Mitsotakis, to digitally create a medical record of the patient, so that radiological monitoring is possible and the doctor has a long-term image.
The prime minister referred to his mother’s adventure. Marikas mitsotaki, who, as she said, had the courage to speak as a public figure about her illness, at a time when no one dared to speak the word Cancer, emphasize the need for prevention and early diagnosis.
“It just came to our attention then. These stories also affect our perception of how we carry out public policy.“Mr. Mitsotakis pointed out, emphasizing the importance of preventive control. As the oncologist pointed outMr. Linardou, mammography reduces the risk of death by 20%, but when performed in an organized setting, that is, annually after age 40, the risk of death is reduced by 40%. “Breast cancer is a disease like any other. It is a disease that can be predicted, diagnosed in time,” he stressed, adding that almost one in three women in Greece has never had a mammogram.
The Prime Minister then invited the women to share their own experiences. “People need to hear your stories. Lives are saved by your own stories.“She characteristically stated. The women who participated in the discussion shared shocking experiences from their own personal stories and suggestions to improve the functioning of the Health System:
Barbara Dellaporta highlighted the need for prevention, especially when it comes to inherited diseases, and pointed out the problems that exist for access to genetic testing. Ms. Dellaporta, who is currently ill, also spoke on the topic of depression and the importance of psychological support for women battling breast cancer.
THE Liolio Kalypera, who is also president of the Patras branch of the NGO “Alma Zois” that helps women cope with the disease, expressed her fear that if she gets sick from Covid and things get worse, perhaps because she already has a disease underlying it, it will be out of the picture. to treat someone healthier.
“As a society, we have made a great effort to anticipate this disease, which constantly surprises us in an unpleasant way. We did it so that we never get to the point where we have to make decisions regarding the care that a patient will have in Greece “, replied the Prime Minister, clarifying that” for that we take the measures that we take, for this and we take the measures that we obtain. That is why we have strengthened our intensive care units ”.
Mr. Mitsotakis thanked the women and especially “Leap of life” and for the work they do in the field of psychosocial support to other women who currently suffer from breast cancer. “I am very proud to be in this Association and I can offer, and it makes me even stronger, to walk with my own cancers and go out in society and be well,” said Ms Kalypera.
The shock she felt when she found out she had breast cancer was described by the owner of the Balkan Resistance Highway and director of the Marathon Museum. Maria Polyzou, where he highlighted the importance of physical exercise and sport for the treatment of the disease, both before and after surgery, since it helps in the rapid recovery of both the body and the psychology.
H Eleni Kiuse He referred to the weight that should be given not only to psychological but also occupational rehabilitation, after the battle against cancer. “Employers should somehow have some incentive to choose a person who has been ill for a few years and have more job opportunities afterward.” Because it is also occupational therapy that helps a lot, “Ms. Kiuse stressed.
THE Aleka Anastasiou, who became ill at 33 and today at 42 is healthy again, with a 3-year-old boy, referred to the importance that women should give to prevention. As he said, it is a curable disease, although he believes that society must overcome the stigma of breast cancer. “The only thing that bothers me is the phobia that people talk about it. It is the phobia of people to pronounce this word. “And beyond that, for me, what worked was optimism,” he characteristically asserted.
“I know very well that if I weren’t in prevention I wouldn’t be here today to speak,” said Maria Kritikou, 57, from Rhodes. She was diagnosed early and she believes that if this had not happened her adventure would have been much greater and she referred to the role that caregivers play alongside patients. His goal in life is an oncology clinic on his island.
The 36 year old Miss cheese got sick last year, just before the coronavirus pandemic broke out. “We hear about cancer and we are afraid. To all the women I met, and because I like to speak and say it out loud, because I understood that we are not talking, I tell them not to be afraid, say the word” cancer “a little differently. , is nothingsaid Ms Tiri, commenting on the response time of the National Health System to the problems of cancer patients.
“Speed of access is a big issue,” he said, adding that “every day counts for cancer,” highlighting the need for everyone to have access to quality care, regardless of whether they have the opportunity to choose care. private or if the majority depend on the National Health System ”.
“Cancer is a very big chapter, today we cover a small but important subset. I want to thank you very much, I learned a lot from this discussion. You gave me a lot of encouragement to highlight aspects that I did not give so much importance to. I always maintain the optimism of knowledge and the science, that the more we know and the more educated we will be, the more effective we will be in treating disease. I have great importance in prevention that starts with dealing with fear “said Mr. Mitsotakis closing the discussion.
