The strongest message was sent again this year by icy waters of Limassol, the founder of the Mikri Heroes Foundation, Loukas Fourlas and the OUK of Cyprus and Greece that no child should fight cancer alone.
The touching event “We swim together with the Greek and Cypriot YMCAs for the Little Heroes”, took place for the 6th consecutive year, supporting the children who are fighting their own battle with cancer in the presence of the President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis.
The event has now become an institution, having the practical support of the Cyprus Police, the National Guard and CYjetski. Loukas Fourlas together with the Frogmen Reserve Group, the members of the Hellenic Frogmen Association, the Minister of Defense Charalambos Petridis, the Assistant Attorney General Savvas Angelidis, the Founder of the Pediatric Oncology Unit at Makarios Hospital Dr. Loizos Loizou and the Ambassador of the Hope Foundation and President of the “Guardian Angel” Foundation Giorgos Angelopoulos, swam from the Olympic Beach (Thalassaki café) to the dock of the old port of Limassol.
This is an effort to financially and psychologically support and strengthen children who are in Pediatric Oncology Department of Makarios Hospital and their families, having all of us on their side as allies.
The start for the swim was given by Chief of Police Stelios Papatheodorou and the swimmers were accompanied to the finish by the CYjetski team.
Along with the swim, the “March of Love” took place along the beach to the dock of the old port. Limassol, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Annita Dimitriou marking the start and a crowd of people marching to the finish line.
In his statements, the Founder of the Little Heroes Foundation, Loukas Fourlas, expressed his satisfaction and thanked everyone who participated in both the swimming and the Love walk. “For the 6th consecutive year, we have observed the our promise to support our children at the Pediatric Oncology Department of Makarios Hospital and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.” At the same time, he renewed the appointment for next year.
The President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, clearly moved, congratulated Loukas Fourlas and his colleagues, the Greek and Greek Orthodox Churches, for the initiative they took and are making sure in every way that no child, no little hero is left alone. He also thanked everyone who attended the Foundation's invitation and showed their sensitivity and supported our little heroes with all their might.
In her statements, the President of the Parliament, Annita Dimitriou, sent the message that our little heroes and heroines are not alone in this process, which they are experiencing. At the same time, he gave credit to everyone and especially to Loukas Fourlas, saying that especially these days we stand next to each other, we help our fellow man, let alone our children.
The Minister of Defense Charalambos Petridis noted that we will always support our little heroes, while he thanked the Cyprus and Greek Football Associations, as well as Loukas Fourlas for standing by them.
The President of the Association of Greek Frogmen, Alexandros Palatianos, expressed his pleasure at the immediate response to their participation in this wonderful event, which is a social awareness that our society so desperately needs these days. He thanked everyone and declared their presence in such events.
“Giving is a blessing for the children who need us so much because they never have to suffer and struggle alone. We will always be by their side, they need us with them. The Frogmen declare their presence”, emphasized the President of SEVAK Erotokritos Evaggelakis.
The Chief of Police Stylianos Papatheodorou noted that the Police, as part of its social responsibility, is a subscriber to this wonderful project, saying that “we will always be helpful in this effort because no child should have to fight cancer alone”.
Savvas Angelidis, Assistant Attorney General, said that we will always be next to all children in need.
Dr. Loizos Loizou stated that we will always support this effort and we are grateful to what Loukas Fourlas offers. “The medical community could not be absent, we doctors support the effort of Loukas Fourlas, who offered and offers Cyprus and Europe so much to fight cancer and leukemia. We will always be by your side, as we have been doing for the last thirty years, together we can ensure that no child loses the battle with cancer”, he said.
It is worth noting that he also made an appearance at the event the Police helicopter, which dropped Special Mission Rescue Team divers, during the finish, near the old harbor dock.
