The miracle of life and bone marrow donation was revealed with protagonists the recipient Despina Vouchouri from Chios and the donor Sakis Valavani from Drama,

Touching moments unfolded at Despina’s surprise birthday party organized by her son, George, as he had also invited the donor who gave life to his mother, without anyone knowing.

Among the guests was No. 198, the handball coach Athanasios-Sakis Valavanis from Drama, whom George found through the internet, as a result of which they got in touch and then found himself in Chios with his family.

To set up the apocalypse, Giorgos Xylas devised a trick. That a mistake was made on the balloons and instead of writing his mother’s date of birth, he wrote his own.

“Every obstacle is good”, said George and added: “In order for this number to have some meaning, we cut the “4” and we are left with the number 198. Is there anyone among us with No 198 from “Vision of Hope”? That’s your present for today mom,” he asked. Then Sakis Valavanis stood up amid applause.

“They call me a hero” said Sakis, also moved. “I don’t accept it, I am a simple person, who participated in the most simple process, giving a life” he declared and fell again into the arms of Miss Vouhouri, who gave him the gold Brigadier that he wore on a pendant and which, as he had said earlier, she saw 3 times alive in “Metaxa”, the moment her friends from the surrounding beds died one after another.

Despina Vouchouri’s adventure began 3 years ago on March 5, 2021, when she was admitted to the Hospital with symptoms of HIV.

The continuous tests, however, led to the exact diagnosis, that of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), i.e. a cancer of the cells of the white line, characterized by rapid growth of white blood cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and prevent hematopoiesis.

“I had 80% bad cells in my bone marrow. I was ready to “travel”. I was 4.5 months continuously in Metaxas with a lot of struggle and effort. Today I praise God because I reached 26 months and I am alive among you, thanks to one of the two Greeks who were found compatible with me and also thanks to my excellent doctors”, said Mrs. Vouchouris and continued: “I had the rarest group AB+ and two Greeks were found 100% histocompatible, one gave but I don’t know who he is. I gave my details and now I’m waiting for him to ask me. We know that he is number 198 from “Vision of Hope” and I really want to meet him”, she said excitedly, in front of dozens of friends and acquaintances who responded to the call of her son Giorgos, on the pretext of celebrating her birthday in the garden of the house them in the area of ​​Evangelistria.