EPIONI successfully held on Friday 2 June 2023, at the French Institute and online, the 6th open workshop on “Supporting people with heart disease and the contribution of their caregivers”

The event was held under the auspices of the Region of Attica, the Hellenic Psychiatric Association and the Global HEART Hub and was held in collaboration with the patient associations “The Heart of the Child”, “Skytali” and “Association of Cardiac Officers of the Navy – L.S. and Friends”

The event featured excellent speakers who support patients with heart disease:

Ms. Athena Koltsidopoulou, President and Founder of the Panhellenic Association “The Heart of the Child” mentioned that the association has now 40 years of service and operation. She mentioned that every year 700-900 children are born with Congenital Heart Diseases, with 60% of them needing immediate surgery. As carers of a child with a chronic rare condition, she said she fully understands the fatigue, anxiety and hardship faced by carers, regardless of representation group or disease. This was why the Association was established 40 years ago, to provide support to carers so that they can cope with their children’s illness and achieve positive health outcomes.

She outlined the problems associated with the condition, such as the absence of specialist centres for paediatric cardiac surgery, the lack of accommodation structures for families coming from the countryside, and the lack of sufficient qualified staff. The Children’s Heart Association has undertaken to meet certain needs, such as contributing to the costs of hospitalization and rehabilitation of children, covering medical examinations and visits, and providing a discount

Panagiota Michaelidou, a former caregiver, in an experiential speech, spoke about the role of caregivers in patients with heart disease in memory of Associate Professor of Cardiology Andreas P. Michaelidou.

Mrs. Sophia Adam, Treasurer of the Skytali Association presented the activities of the association and her personal experience of her heart transplantation and the health systems in Greece and Sweden.

Dr. Fotios Barkas, MSc, PhD, Pathologist, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Medicine, University of Ioannina presented guidelines for the prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases

Dr. Anastasios Milkas, Interventional Cardiologist at the Athens Naval Hospital, developed the non-pharmacological interventions in the treatment of people with heart failure and the value of the contribution of skilled caregivers.

Christos Maniotis, cardiologist, presented the advanced service “Cardio Now” that makes possible/feasible the remote monitoring of patients with cardiac problems in real time.

Finally, Dr. Kimon Stamatelopoulos, Professor of Therapeutic Cardiology, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and visiting professor at the University of Newcastle, UK, spoke about the participation of patients in clinical trials.

Sponsors: Novartis Hellas and the Nephrology Centre of Saronikos.

And the Communication Sponsors: www.psychologynow.gr, and www.iatronet.gr, https://healthdaily.gr/