SOCIETY

BUSINESS: 532 PRACTICES


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Initiative

Free breast screening by the Athens Euroclinic on Lesvos: Breast cancer prevention and treatment.

Free breast screening by the Athens Euroclinic on Lesvos: Breast cancer prevention and treatment.
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EUROCLINIC GROUP

Vision & Mission

Our Vision

Our vision is for our patients to view us as the most reliable choice for quality private healthcare in Greece, and for our employees as the best employer in our industry.

Our Mission

Our mission is to improve the lives of people, by applying the most modern and innovative treatment protocols. To adopt best practices and give back to society, forging long-term relationships that are founded on safety and trust, by applying a ground-breaking, transparent and modern management and corporate governance model. We aspire to:

Upgrade continuously the services we offer, achieving high and measurable safety, quality and credibility indicators.
Promote an open channel of communication both with our patients and our employees.
Invest in cutting-edge medical technology.
Ensure our human resources develop professionally and are trained on innovative healthcare provision models.

Our Values

At the Euroclinic Group, all our values are centered on people and caring for them

Meritocracy: We create equal opportunities for all our employees, fostering a safe, friendly and fair work environment.

Transparency: We operate with absolute transparency, opposing any form of corruption, while adopting and applying a very strong code of ethics.

Innovation: We continuously invest in cutting-edge technology, ground-breaking medical services and healthcare models that are applied for the first time in Greece.

Team spirit: We believe that team spirit, freedom of expression and camaraderie ensure best results.

Quality: We continuously evaluate and optimize our services, creating high value and benefits both for our patients and our associates.

Responsibility: We offer our services altruistically if necessary, actively supporting vulnerable groups and charitable organizations, while we also contribute to reducing our ecological footprint.



Objective Action

The initiative aimed to provide free breast screening to residents on the island of Lesvos, and specifically the villages Antissa and Polichnito, for breast cancer prevention, early diagnosis and awareness. In partnership with the Hellenic Cancer Society, we offered digital mammographies, breast ultrasounds and breast exams to all the women over 25 years of age. In addition, the initiative supported the local communities of Antissa and Polichnito, offering invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures at the Athens Euroclinic at a later date, without any financial cost to the women with suspicious breast findings that needed further investigation or surgery. Our main aspiration was to highlight the fact that healthcare is a fundamental right that must be accessible to all, irrespective of their geographical location or financial status.

 

Target Audience

The initiative was targeted to all women over 25 years of age living in remote villages of Lesvos who encounter great difficulty in accessing healthcare services, either due to the great distance from the medical clinics of Lesvos that perform such special exams or due to financial difficulties.

 

Duration

4 days. The action took place between 29 September and 2 October 2022.


Description

The action ran for 4 days, between 29 September and 2 October. It aimed at prevention and early diagnosis of breast cancer through free breast screening on the island of Lesvos, and specifically the villages Antissa and Polichnito.

These villages were chosen because they are far from the capital of Lesvos, where the hospital and private diagnostic centers are located. As a result, the residents do not have easy access to them.

The 13-member team, consisting of Euroclinic and Hellenic Cancer Society volunteers, included:

  • 1 Breast Diagnostic Radiologist
  • 3 Breast Surgeons
  • 4 Radiology Technicians
  • 1 Nurse
  • 4 Administrative Staff Members

The team traveled to Lesvos, bringing along mobile mammography units, as well as all the necessary diagnostic and hospital equipment for carrying out the tests.

They performed:

  • Physical exams on 413 women
  • 295 mammography scans
  • 393 breast ultrasounds

This way, they offered the women of Lesvos the chance to check their health, by detecting and treating any potential findings early on.

Specifically, 15 suspicious findings were detected, resulting in these women scheduling an immediate visit to the Athens Euroclinic, where they underwent:

  • 3 ultrasound-guided breast aspirations
  • 3 ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies
  • 1 ultrasound-guided stereotactic biopsy
  • 4 surgical procedures

Apart from the medical tests, the initiative also served as an opportunity to train and inform women about the importance of prevention, breast self-examination and the preventive measures they can take to remain healthy.

Note that this initiative did not just provide medical care, but also focused on personal contact and mental support for the women. The doctors and nurses aspired to create a trustworthy and safe environment, encouraging the women not to neglect their health overall.

An important feature of the initiative was the cooperation with the Hellenic Cancer Society, which offered its two mobile mammography units, used to perform the digital mammographies. This made it possible to perform scans of the highest quality, outside a hospital setting.

All in all, the initiative showcased the need to support local communities. The Euroclinic Group and its doctors participated actively, by providing services, performing exams, and offering their know-how and expertise.


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Impact on Society

Our initiative had a major impact and produced remarkable results for the targeted audience. Though our actions, we managed to raise awareness among the local community, highlighting the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Specifically, 295 mammographies and 393 breast ultrasounds were performed. A total of 413 women were examined and 15 suspicious findings were detected. The cost for the further investigation and treatment of these findings was fully covered by the Euroclinic Group and its doctors, free of charge.

As a result, the women of Lesvos were given the chance to check their health, by detecting and treating any potential findings early on.

The impact of this initiative on the local community includes:

Awareness: Through our presence and the distribution of informational material, we managed to raise awareness among the women about breast cancer. We informed them of the risks and symptoms of the disease, encouraging them to undergo regular check-ups and mammographies.

Prevention and early diagnosis: Through the free breast tests we offered, we achieved early diagnosis of suspicious cancer cases. These tests assisted in detecting the disease at stages when treatment interventions are more effective. This way we offered these women the chance to have breast cancer treated at an early stage, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment and recovery.

Treatment: Pro bono surgery was performed on the women in whom a suspicious finding was detected. The Euroclinic Group and its doctors fully undertook to investigate and treat these findings, ensuring the necessary medical care at no financial cost. The immediate access to surgical procedures ensured that these women were treated for breast cancer early on, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment and recovery.

Support and encouragement: Through our presence and the free provision of services, we offered the women of the local community major support and encouragement. Our presence instilled a feeling of safety and trust, offering these women a place where they could share their concerns, questions, and experiences.

All in all, our initiative had a positive impact on the audience and the local community, achieving awareness, prevention, and support. Through the informational material, the free breast tests, and the surgical procedures wherever necessary, we managed to create the conditions for women to be able to tackle breast cancer with prevention, early diagnosis and assistance.



Initiative Location

The initiative took place on the island of Lesvos, and specifically the villages Antissa and Polichnito.


Working with Organization

  • The Hellenic Cancer Society participated in the initiative, offering two mobile mammography units.

Workers Participation

The action was implemented with the participation of specialized doctors, nursing staff, and administrative personnel of Euroclinic. The doctors provided their expertise in performing mammographic examinations and detecting potential diseases, while the nursing staff provided the necessary care and support to women undergoing examinations. Similarly, the administrative staff contributed to the coordination and management of the operation, ensuring the smooth functioning of the procedures. The voluntary participation of all personnel was crucial for the successful implementation of the initiative and for providing the necessary care and support to the women who benefited from the examinations.


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Benefits for Οrganization

This initiative had multiple benefits for our Group and staff. Some of these include:

Volunteering: Participating in this initiative fostered the spirit of volunteering and solidarity among the Group members. The employees had the chance to make a positive contribution to the community and feel proud of this.

Awareness and prevention: This initiative contributed towards raising awareness among the staff on the importance of prevention and regular check-ups to detect diseases. It also offers a chance to provide training and information on health issues and practices that contribute to breast cancer prevention.

Strengthening relationships: Participating in social initiatives offers staff the chance to bond and develop strong ties. Common experiences and the feeling of participating in a common goal reinforce interaction and cooperation among team members.

Corporate social responsibility: Participating in social initiatives is a way for the Group to demonstrate its corporate social responsibility. Specifically, this is manifested through the provision of free mammographies, aiming at prevention and protection of women’s health. This initiative contributes to supporting the community and demonstrates the Group’s commitment to provide reliable healthcare services.

Development of employee soft skills: Participating in such actions offers staff the chance to develop skills and abilities which might prove useful in the workplace. These experiences contribute to developing leadership, cooperation and organizational skills.

Social participation: Our organization is inexorably linked to society, and our main priority is to leave a positive footprint and give back to society. Through this initiative, we attempted to have a positive impact on the local community, by highlighting the importance of prevention. It is telling that for a large percentage of the women who came to be examined, this was the first time they underwent a mammography.

Reinforcing the Group’s image: Participating in social initiatives reinforces the Group’s image to the general public. Clients, investors and stakeholders view the Group as a company that cares for society.

Relationship building and networking: Social initiatives offer the chance to build relationships and network with other community representatives, businesses and organizations. This could lead to potential partnerships and business opportunities in the future.

Encouraging social solidarity: Participating in social solidarity initiatives encourages the staff and the community at large to take action so as to resolve social issues and contribute to improving the people’s quality of life.

All in all, our initiative has brought benefits both to the Group, such as brand recognition and influence, and the local community, by promoting health, offering support and reinforcing social cohesion.




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