EN-This one is for Amalia…

Amalia Kalyvinou passed away on Friday, May the 25th, 2007, at the age of 30. She started having pains since the age of 8 but none of the many doctors she visited made a timely diagnosis of the benign neurinoma of her leg, which 17 years later, was transformed into a malignant tumour. For the next 5 years, Amalia had to fight with cancer and amputation, with radiotherapy and chemotherapy as well as with the briberies and the time-consuming bureaucratic methods of the Greek National Health System. Before passing away, she documented her experience in her blog, where she named each and every one of the doctors she had to bribe, praising at the same time the ones who honoured the Hippocratic Oath. Her testimony moved thousands of people in Greece and abroad that stood by her side all the way to the end.

"Amalia's main aim was to tell her story, so that she could awaken as many people and as many consciences as possible. She mainly wanted to show that there are ways to resist not only the self-regulation and authority of dishonest and heartless doctors, but also the bureaucrats of the Health System." (Dikaia Tsavari & Georgia Kalyvinou – Amalia's mother & sister)

The Internet Movement of Amalia's friends established the 1st of June as Amalia's memorial day for Greek bloggers. As she said "Quacks should be the exception, you guys, not the norm…". To stop bribery - through measures from the government but also through everyone's effort not to bribe but to make a donation. To reduce bureaucratic procedures in healthcare. To reduce unethical relations between corporations and the medical profession. To valorise unused hospital infrastructure and improve training of medical personnel in the Greek NHS. To establish digital medical records for all Greeks.

Amalia's last wish was to support the construction of th Oncological Centre for Children undertaken by the ELPIDA foundation.

Video by George Krogias