Danae Papadatou, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at the University of Athens and President of Merimna, was awarded for her contribution to the field of Pediatric Palliative Care, with the international Ventafridda Award. The Ventafridda Award was presented to Ms Papadatou by the President of the Maruzza Foundation, Ms Silvia Lefebvre D’Ovidio, during the Opening Ceremony of the 6th International Congress on Paediatric Palliative Care, held in Rome on 16 October.
The Ventafridda Prize was created by the Maruzza Foundation in 2007, in honour of Vittorio Ventafridda, a pioneering physician in the development of Palliative Care in Europe, and is awarded every two years to a scientist who has shown outstanding international initiative in Paediatric Palliative Care, in recognition of his or her achievements in the care of children with life-threatening illness, research, education, and/or volunteering.
Danae Papadatou was awarded for her long-standing commitment to the promotion and development of Pediatric Palliative Care in Greece, for her research and teaching in the field, and in particular for her contribution to the psychological support of both children with serious illness and their siblings and parents during their bereavement.
The employees, friends and volunteers of Merimna, we are deeply moved and proud of our own Danae, whose vision for Palliative Care inspires us and we have the pleasure of working with her every day to make it a reality.
