Marianna Vardinoyannis, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and philanthropist, dies

"With the deepest sadness, the family of Vardis I. Vardinoyannis announces that beloved wife, mother, and grandmother Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, UNESCO Ambassador of Goodwill, President of the Elpida Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, died on Monday, July 24, 2023. The funeral and burial will be held privately," the statement said.

Vardinoyannis was associated with numerous funding initiatives, best-known of which was the founding of Greece's first pediatric oncology hospital which serves children from Greece and the neighboring countries. It was a project of Elpida, which she chaired, and it was delivered to the public fully equipped in 2010. The state named it in her honor ("Marianna V. Varginoyannis-Elpida Children's Oncology Unit") and incorporated it in the National Health System. The hospital also includes independent units that can house families of patients.

A member of the board of several international organizations, she was also awarded by several Greek and international organizations for her tireless work on humanitarian causes - especially on large issues related to children's welfare including exploitation, migration, vaccination, and education - and had received numerous prizes for her work.

Marianna Vardinoyannis was married to oil and shipping magnate Vardis Vardinoyannis, and had 5 children, as well as several grandchildren.

(A detailed biography of her life and activities may be found on the Elpida site, in English, https://elpida.org/en/mvv-en/.)

Condolences

Messages of condolences were sent to the family by President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, and former President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.