ECPC's member of the month July 2009 is:

KATHI APOSTOLIDIS

My Organisation

All started at the coffee break of an advocacy conference, two years ago. Board members of the organisers, who knew about my involvement with cancer patient’s advocacy, had a friendly discussion with me over coffee, about best practices in advocacy.  The discussion showed that we shared the same ideas, values and interest in cancer patient rights and lasted well beyond the break. This friendly exchange is at the beginning of what, some months later, shaped into the Cancer Patients Rights Advocacy Program.

I am honoured that the Society of Volunteers Against Cancer – AgaliaZ0, a non-profit organisation with more than 30 years activity, entrusted me with the leadership of their new Program, that is run by a 15 member Committee of volunteers and health professionals. The Patient Rights Advocacy Program is the first of its kind in Greece.

The Program aims to inform cancer patients, the general public and all stakeholders about the rights, to which patients are entitled by the Greek and EU legislation and the Proposals, Recommendations and Consensus Decisions of international organizations. It also aims to empower cancer patients to advocate individually for their rights.

It also actively advocates for the improvement of health services, as foreseen by the Greek legislation and as recommended or proposed by the EU and international organizations.

The Program is in operation since September 2008. Among the key advocacy activities during this period are the following:

• Participation in the public consultation of DG SANCO of the European Commission on the Action Plan 2009 for the Health Programme 2008-2013

• Advocacy that led to the approval of the coverage by social insurance funds and to the extension of the administration of the vaccine against uterine cancer to women aged 18 to 26.
• Launching on April 18, the European Patients’ Rights Day, of the test pages of our new dedicated website www.patientsrights.gr
• Participation in the celebration of the European Patients Rights Day with a structured campaign
• Participation in the ECPC campaign to raise awareness among the candidates for the elections to the European Parliament for the fight against cancer and for their participation in MAC.

In order to facilitate the contact with patients the Society will operate soon a Helpline, offered graciously by OTE, the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation, at no cost to callers. Interested patients will be able to call directly and speak with a trained volunteer or a health professional. The help-line will not only facilitate the contact with patients, but it will become a powerful advocacy tool, as the analysis of the calls, inquiries and complaints of the patients will give us insight into problems and issues our advocacy will have to tackle.

The Society of Volunteers Against Cancer has a long history of successful work and it actually runs the following Programs, besides the above mentioned:

• In-Hospital and group and individual Psycho-Social Support Programs
• Volunteer Training Programs
  
• Cancer screening, awareness and prevention programs for socially vulnerable, remote and island areas populations.
• Training program of health professionals in the interdisciplinary approach of cancer patients (EU funded project)

and carries the following activities

• Information about  health issues, cancer, and cancer screening
• Targeted activities for socially vulnerable population groups (roma, migrants, unemployed, prisoners, etc.)
• Cancer awareness activities aimed at youth.

The Society publishes a bi-monthly magazine AGALIAZO (agaliazo means hug) and has two websites www.agaliazo.gr and www.patientsrights.gr. The latter, now available only as test pages, will be available in September in Greek and English. It publishes brochures not only for the use of Greeks but also for the use of migrant workers from Russia, Poland, Albania in their languages.

The Society is administrated by an eleven member Board of volunteers (volunteers may be persons with or without cancer experience) and has 1200 members and 160 trained volunteers. Its Programs are overseen by the Scientific Committee, members of which are renowned health professionals from various oncology specialties. The Society operates also two, self-managed, annexes, one in Patras, Peloponnese and one in Heraklion, Crete.

My story

My involvement with the cancer patients advocacy organisations started in 1995, after my breast cancer experience. Besides my participation in the Cancer Patients Rights Program of AgaliaZO, I am also a member  and former Director of the Pan-Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer and a member of Europa Donna Hellas and of BeStrong cancer patients organisation. I am also a member of several professional organizations and I have volunteered in diversified projects, such as breaking the glass ceiling for women managers, equal pay for women, mentoring of new entrepreneurs, coaching of women entrepreneurs and managers, lecturing on web marketing to new entrepreneurs, etc.

Besides, as community work, I have also chaired a Committee of  Social Insurance and Work Conditions Issues, that prepared a guide of social insurance coverage for breast cancer patients and laid the ground for a report on the work conditions for breast cancer patients and survivors, contributed to a Strategic Planning Team and worked on a number of other non-profit  projects. I am a Public Affairs and International Marketing Consultant in the tourism sector. I try to manage my free time among business, family, community work, gardening, travelling, internet, cooking and reading.

I am an internet geek and my latest interest is harnessing the power of social media for business and non-profits. I read and experiment a lot with social media, both in business and privately. I believe that social media show the future for non-profit volunteer organizations.
Internet and social media may be the tools for organizations based on volunteer work, delivered virtually from many locations, and for fundraising purposes.

I am thankful to my husband and my two grown up daughters, who are very supportive of my extra-curricular activities and help me in many ways.

How to contact me

email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.agaliazo.gr

www.patientsrights.gr

See also our previous ECPC Members of the Month.