Greece

The Greeks Are Here!

Greek Save Giovanni sponsor www.marksmotorsinc.com/

Giovanni bone marrow drive at the Greek Independence Day Parade: Giovanni wants you to save a life, become a bone marrow donor.

See Giovanni's Italian Connection on ABC International News

Greeks add 720 life-saving bone marrow donors to the registry

Some of you may have heard about Giovanni, a Greek/Italian baby from NH who needed a bone marrow transplant to live. Giovanni's dad is Italian, his mom Greek. Her name Poulicakos. He's one of ours.

We thank GreekBoston.com and Peter Cakridas of WNTN 1550 am Grecian Echoes for advertising Giovanni's movement to fill the bone marrow registry and save kids lives.

The Italians, with the Italian Consulate General of Boston, have done everything listed below.

RAI International TV ran stories about Giovanni worldwide,
Italian TV Zoom did a show,
Italian Radio and newspapers have ran spots on Giovanni
The Italian Consulate of Boston is holding a bone marrow drive,
And Italians have even launched a website for Giovanni
See http://www.salviamogiovanni.org/

We Greeks are underrepresented in helping Giovanni,and underrepresented in the bone marrow registry. We built the Olympics in less than a week, introduced the civilized world to the arts, architecture, mathmatics, and law. And now we need to fill the International Bone Marrow Registry with donors to Save Giovanni's friends from dying. These children need our help.

The bone marrow test involves four cotton swabs rubbed inside the mouth. If you're a match the marrow is taken from your arm or hip under anesthesia. With little pain, you can Save Giovanni and his friends.

My fellow Greeks: I challenge you to organize bone marrow drives and fundraisers, hang his posters, email friends, get tested, anything. Please, for Giovanni and all the children who deserve life lets help.

Greek Inspired Events

Greek Independence Day Parade

103-life saving donors added to the registry

Athina adds 115-life saving donors to the registry at UMASS Lowell

Thank you Saint Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington, Ma for ading 122-life saving bone marrow donors to the registry. Special thanks to Father Nicholas Kastanas, members of the condregation, Greek Orthodox Youth of America, and special thanks to Event Organizer Deanna Turnquist and her family, friends, volunteers, and citizens of Arlington.

Thank you St. George Greek Orthodox Church

Thank you St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Lynn, MA, Father Tsoukalas, Diane Stamatopoulos, president of ladies society Maria Dres, PTA coordinator, and people of Lynn for adding 45-life saving bone marrow donors to the registry.

Thank you Quincy Marriot and Anna Thoyas

Thank you Quincy Marriot and Event Director Anna Thoyas for adding 30-life saving bone marrow donors to the reghistry

Giovanni's father Michael with Event Director Anna Thoyas

Thank you Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Dover for holding largest NH Giovanni bone marrow drive adding 161-life-saving donors to the registry. Special thanks to: Father Constantine Newman, Anna and Nicholas Newman, George and Zoe Polychronopoulos, Sylvia Polychronopoulos, Sharon Lampros, Stephanie Kanazos, Ian Joseph Short, Dr Jim and Maria Faskianos, Elijan Canny, Jackie Hembrook, Mathew Murphy, Vula Lalas, Casey Jacobson, Allysa Moreira, and Deb Escamilla of www.dkmsamericas.org Foster Daily Democrate, "Giovanni drive in dover"

Volunteer Elajah Canny and Mark Lanoue who's daughter Hristianna survived a bone marrow transplant two years ago at three and is now five. In her name he campaigned for Hristianns' Bill, HB 1452, which is the NH Law that now require peoples health insurance to pay for bone marrow donor testing.

Father Constantine Newman, George Polychronopoulos, Nicholas Newman and Hope Frudakis

Sylvia Polychronoupoulos, Anna Newman, Sharon Lampros, Zoe Polychronoupoulos, and Deb Escamilla of www.dkmsamericas.org

Zoe Polychronoupoulos, Giovanni's mom Christina Poulicakos, Alyssa Moreira

Stephanie Kanazos and Giovanni's dad Michael Guglielmo-poulos (;-)

Dr Jim Faskianos and Christina

Thank you St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Manchester, NH, for adding 54-life saving marrow donors to the registry. Special thanks to the RI Blood Center, Patricia Lang, Nicole, volunteers, Michael's Fund, and the National Marrow Donor Program.

Thank you 50's Diner patrons, people of Dedham, for adding 140-life-saving bone marrow donors to the regisrtry. Special thanks to 50's Diner owners Spiro and Barbara Deamantopoulos, and event organizers and helpers Ethel Arvantis, Rebecca Deberardinis and husband, Deamantopoulos family and staff members. Anthony Deberardinis and NES Traffic Saftey Avon, Ma for the traffic sign, Brian Davis, and Minuteman Press.