Persephone AUGOUSTIDES – SAVVOPOULOU
Persephone Augoustides-Savvopoulou is Emeritus Professor of the Medical Faculty of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). Till her retirement in 2011, Professor Savvopoulou was director of the metabolic unit of the 1st Paediatric Department, AUTH, the referral centre for inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) in Northern Greece. She gained invaluable insight to the challenges facing not only patients but medical professionals as well. IMDs are individually rare and unknown to most, accounting for over 22% of rare diseases.
The Society for Patients and Friends of Patients with Inherited Metabolic Diseases “KRIKOS ZOIS” (www.krikoszois.gr), was founded in 2007 in Thessaloniki on her initiative with the support of 29 families to 1) increase awareness of IMDs 2) to improve services for IMDs by advocating for the special needs of those suffering from IMDs 3) to provide support for individuals suffering from IMDs and their families. Currently, “KRIKOS ZOIS” is the leading patient society for a wide variety of IMDs in Greece and collaborates with Eurordis, MetabolicSupportUK, HCU Australia, MetabERN a.o.
Professor Savvopoulou is a founding member and represents KRIKOS ZOIS on the executive board of the Greek Union of Rare Patients, the umbrella for 28 rare patient societies, officially recognized by EURORDIS as Rare Diseases Greece.