12th Mission of AXION HELLAS Municipality of Almopia - Pella Region (October 19-23)

With their luggage filled with smiles, gratitude, and satisfaction from the residents of the mountainous region of Almopia, the 80 volunteers of Axion Hellas departed after the completion of the 12th action in the region of Pella.

This first mission that took place in mainland Greece was successfully carried out, as 80 volunteer doctors of 17 different specialties conducted 1,442 medical examinations for 447 residents in six villages in the Almopia region from October 20th to October 22nd. 209 residents were examined by the ophthalmologists of Axion Hellas, 196 by cardiologists, 146 underwent ultrasounds, 117 were examined by orthopedic doctors. Additionally, 58 patients were treated by the dental team, and 95 individuals visited the volunteer endocrinologist. October is the month of breast cancer prevention and awareness, and the Axion Hellas volunteer team received and examined in the breast clinic  117 women from the Almopia area.

Various cultural and educational events were organized for people of all ages. The historian Maria Efthimiou gave a lecture on "Religion, Economy, Politics, Ideology: Major Turning Points in World History." Furthermore, Marios Giannakou, ultramarathon runner and social responsibility and sustainability consultant at Deloitte, spoke to the students about the effects of climate change and his personal experiences in the Arctic.

The choice of this specific region was not coincidental but was made in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor catastrophe. The Axion Hellas team carried out this action in the refugee areas of Pella where hundreds of refugees settled in 1922.

In this context, the renowned chef and ambassador of Greek cuisine, Argyro Barbarigou, together with the local association of Asia Minor Greeks, organized an exceptional gastronomic event titled "All of Asia Minor from East to West: a journey of flavours and tradition.

Through the educational program of "First Aid Heroes," young students learned essential first aid techniques. Additionally, at the International Olympic Truce Centre event "I Respect Diversity," children learned about Olympic sports and the importance of respecting differences. In total, over 600 children from the wider region participated in the educational, cultural, and entertaining activities organized by the volunteers.

Axion Hellas, in collaboration with the Hellenic Police and the Electronic Crime Directorate, educated people of all ages about "Safe Internet Navigation." Additionally, in partnership with the Fire Department, residents attended a fire safety seminar. "Vision of Hope" is a constant companion to Axion Hellas on every mission. The message of bone marrow donation reached the remote regions of Almopia, resulting in 50 new volunteer bone marrow donors.

Axion Hellas aims to improve infrastructure in remote areas. Towards this goal, volunteers will be building and delivering playgrounds to the villages of Almopia soon.