A CML awareness, hope and courage event was organized yesterday in Athens, Greece by ECPC member K.E.F.I. (Association of Cancer Patients, Friens and Doctors) for Greek CML patients, K.E.F.I. members and volunteers and to announce the launch of a CML patient group within the organization.
ECPC was represented by Vice President, Kathi Apostolidis and Secretary, Jana Pelouchova.
Kathi Apostolidis addressed the participants on the role of cancer patient organizations as a source of information and support, of cancer and health policy advocacy, of education in treatments and research.
Jana Pelouchova spoke both as a CML patient and advocate stressing the importance of patient education in their disease, the need to follow the treatment prescribed by the patient’s doctor and the importance to make the necessary regular tests at certified laboratories in hospitals treating CML and to get informed about clinical trials for their specific disease.
Prof. Ger. Pangalis spoke about the history of CML, how it was discovered and how with the help of new treatments it is currently a treatable disease and patients may go to remission without treatment in comparison to earlier years when it was a deadly disease.
The event closed with patients, among them doctors who are CML patients, sharing their journey in CML and stressing the need for starting quickly a CML patient group.