Daily Archives: June 10, 2015

Filli Kaoullas with husband Andy just prior to his surgery. Andy told the surgeons: “Make sure I wake up in three days; it’s our wedding anniversary.”

Brain cancer kills more children and people under 40 than any other disease in Australia, yet there is not enough awareness about its causes and treatments.

Survival rates are extremely low in contrast to the comparatively higher chances of survival for Australians diagnosed with other types of cancer.

Treatment costs are very high, but hospitals and patients receive only a small fraction of federal government cancer research funding.

Filli Kaoullas, 45, a former PR manager and entrepreneur, came across this shocking reality when her 47-year-old husband Andy was diagnosed.

“I noticed mood swings and initially I thought his behaviour was a result of the amount of pressure he receives at work,” Mrs Kaoullas tells Neos Kosmos.

“While he was making coffee he would put his hand over the kettle and wouldn’t feel the pain,” she adds.

Not only did he forget important appointments and responsibilities, but over a six-month period he started to act in unusual ways that worried his wife. Mrs Kaoullas finally convinced her husband to see a doctor by threatening to leave him if he didn’t seek help.

“Progressively his walking changed, too, but he was unable to realise his condition and therefore we were constantly arguing.”

His X-ray came out clear, but she demanded the doctors run more tests. A CT scan revealed a 4.5cm tumour in the jugular foramen – a large aperture in the base of the skull.

“It’s located behind the carotid canal and is formed in front by the petrous portion of the temporal, so we knew it wasn’t operable,” she said.

“We were admitted to hospital that very afternoon as his condition was described as ‘extremely life threatening’.”

Filli and Andy didn’t give up hope. They wanted to prove to their two teenage children, Mihalia and Fotis, that it’s possible to accept and overcome even the most dramatic changes in life.

“He was diagnosed on 11 January 2012 and we both returned to our jobs on 19 March, determined to go on,” Filli says.

After an eight-and-a-half-hour operation, Andy was rid of 50 per cent of the cancer, but in exchange, he had lost his hearing in the right ear and his swallowing nerve was paralysed, as well as some of his vocal chords. His vagus nerve and trapezius muscle were also damaged, disabling him further.

Brain cancer costs more per patient than any other cancer, because it is highly debilitating and affects people in their prime. Family members cannot work if they become carers. Filli Kaoulas was about to expand her corporate event management business, but overwhelmed by the expenses and the uncertainty of their situation, she decided to go back to university and become a surgical technician.

She needed this massive career change, which would help her take care of her husband and assist others going through the same situation.

“We didn’t know what kind of financial and medical needs would come up as Australia is lacking in funding for treatment of brain cancer, which is extremely disturbing,” said Kaoullas.

“I definitely had to go back to work but at the same time, spending money on an investment while my family was going through such a crisis didn’t make sense.”

Her exemplary performance as a trainee resulted in the management of the clinic offering her a full-time permanent position at St Vincent’s. Filli will be graduating next month.

Meanwhile, she entered the St Vincent’s Scrub Run for 2015 compelled to raise as much money as she could for the hospital’s Neuro Team. Her initial goal was $500 but in the end she raised ten times that amount.

Filli aspires to start her own support group to inspire other families battling brain cancer and is raising funds via St Vincent’s Scrub Run Everyday Hero program, which will be running until June 25.

“I keep going to prove to other people who have given up that they are not alone and that life can have an even greater meaning when one fights to overcome hardship.”

* Funds can be donated directly into St Vincent’s Scrub Run Everyday Hero by clicking on Filli Kaoullas’ name (www.scrubsrun.com.au).

source:Neos Kosmos

Nicholas Pappas at the THI Australia inaugural dinner in Melbourne. Photo: Peter Kakalias.

Eighteen Australian companies will be offering internships to young Greek nationals as part of The Hellenic Initiative’s Australian chapter.

Greece has been given an entrepreneurial lifeline from Australia, with 18 local companies offering exclusive six-month internships to young Greek nationals out of work.

The program is part of the Australian chapter of philanthropic group The Hellenic Initiative (THI) which was officially launched in Melbourne this week.

Spearheaded by Bank of Sydney chief Nicholas Pappas, THI Australia will work on building long-term business connections between Greece and the diaspora down under, and give unemployed graduates a chance to get ahead of the pack in the damaged Greek job market.

The program is made up of paid internships in Australia for six months. The Australian companies that have put their hands up to take part come from a wide variety of industries including financial services, the arts, law, and medicine.

ANZ will be offering 12 placements (six over two years), while Bank of Sydney and National Australia Bank will also provide a number of internships.

Greek Australian companies have also signed up to deliver the scheme, including private equity company Findex Group, seafood distributors Kailis Bros, and Eris Pharmaceuticals.

The Hellenic Museum has also provided an internship program for those wishing to explore the world of curating and artefact preservation.

Founding board member of THI Australia, Nick Mylonas said he was proud that the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, of which he is President, could assist THI’s Australian mission.

“There are incredible synergies between the two organisations and we will work hard to identify ways that the Hellenic Australian business community can help THI, and in turn, assist Greece, ” he said.

Launched in the US in 2012 by Darwin-born Dow Chemical Company CEO, Andrew Liveris, THI was conceived to help Greece back into recovery by providing crisis relief, entrepreneurship opportunities and economic development.

To date, more than 60 internships have been filled by Greek entrepreneurs through the program and more than 75 per cent of those have received a job offer after their internship. THI’s office in Athens has already received thousands of applications for the program.

“We’re only just tapping the surface,” Mr Pappas tells Neos Kosmos.

“This can go very deep. They come here, they work here, there’s a knowledge transfer that happens while they’re here, their CVs are boosted and they go back to Greece armed with this experience.”

Mr Pappas said that while Australian businesses have succeeded locally, being a part of THI could help them broaden their reach to Greece and give many a chance to crack international markets.

Attending the launch, Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said linking Greece and Australia through business was a hugely worthwhile exploit.
Asked his views on local internships going overseas, Mr Guy told Neos Kosmos it was important for Australian companies to include “a bit of both”, opening their mentoring streams to international and local candidates.

The launch at ANZ’s Melbourne headquarters saw hundreds of the community’s most prominent members attend a $300-a-head inaugural dinner to show solidarity to Greece’s struggle and hear Andrew Liveris speak.

Timing sadly fell short as Liveris was whisked away on business to Shanghai but appeared via live video link.

“Whether delivering crucial aid, promoting promising entrepreneurs in Greece or welcoming young Greeks here in our businesses, we have shown that this diaspora is a powerful force,” he said.

THI’s co-founder, Greek American George Stamas, was able to fill Liveris’ shoes and gave a rousing speech that had the crowd captivated.

A venture capitalist and attorney, Mr Stamas spoke of the need for “filotimo and philanthropy” across the diaspora, and said a shared heritage “can bring us together at times of need”.

He also spoke of the misconceptions many Greek Australians hold towards the Greek American business community.

“My sense is that Greek Australians somehow think that Greek Americans really have their act together, and somehow carry the culture of Greece in a way that sometimes Greek Australians are a bit envious of, and nothing can be further from the truth,” he told Neos Kosmos.

He also announced THI in the United States will be contributing $50,000 to the Australian division to get it up and running.

During the dinner a number of Greek Australian businesses donated upwards of $10,000 each to assist THI with its crisis relief programs and entrepreneurs’ investment fund.

Full list of Australian internship program partners:
ANZ
Bank of Sydney
Cox Howlett Architects (Perth)
Decmil Group Ltd (Perth)
Directed Australia (Melbourne)
Eris Pharmaceuticals (Melbourne)
Findex Group (Melbourne)
Fluor Corporation
Greek Media Group (Melbourne)
Hellenic Club/Alpha restaurant (Sydney)
Hellenic Museum (Melbourne)
Hickory, building and construction (Melbourne)
Kailis Bros (Melbourne)
Merit Partners Charted Accountants (Darwin)
Moray & Agnew Lawyers (Melbourne)
National Australia Bank
RSM Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants (Perth)
William Buck Chartered Accountants & Advisors (Sydney)

source:Neos Kosmos

A total of seven stations will take to the airwaves

Greece’s revived public broadcaster ERT will begin TV and radio programs on Wednesday.

ERT was shut down in June 2012 and replaced with the smaller NERIT by the previous government but the SYRIZA-led coalition has decided to switch to the previous format.

It was announced that Panos Haritos, an ERT correspondent in the Middle East, will present the evening news, which starts at 9 pm (Thursday 4am AEST).

Radio broadcasts will also begin on Wednesday at 6 a.m (1pm AEST).

A total of seven stations will take to the airwaves.

They will include the Voice of Greece, aimed at an international audience, particularly diaspora Greeks.

Source: Kathimerini

Για αλλαγή κλίματος, επί τα χείρω, στις διαπραγματεύσεις της Ελλάδας με τους ευρωπαίους εταίρους της κάνει λόγο ο αρθρογράφος των Financial Times Πίτερ Σπίγκελ σε ανταπόκρισή του από τις Βρυξέλλες, μετά και την αποστολή της νέας ελληνικής πρότασης προς τους δανειστές.

Όπως σημειώνει το ρεπορτάζ των FT, η τελευταία αυτή ανταλλαγή εγγράφων, στη μακρά διάρκεια των διαπραγματεύσεων, διέφερε σε ένα ζωτικής σημασίας σημείο: «Η διάθεση της συγκρατημένης αισιοδοξίας που είχε περιβάλει τις συνομιλίες κατά τις τελευταίες εβδομάδες γρήγορα δίνει τη θέση της στο φόβο και την καχυποψία».

«Εξέλειπαν αυτή τη φορά ήταν οι κατ’ ιδίαν διαβεβαιώσεις ότι εν τέλει θα επιτευχθεί μια συμφωνία, επιτρέποντας στην ελληνική κυβέρνηση να λάβει μια ενίσχυση σε ευρώ πριν από τη λήξη του προγράμματος στο τέλος του μήνα» αναφέρει.

Αντ ‘αυτού, όπως σημειώνει το ρεπορτάζ, «αξιωματούχοι από διάφορους θεσμούς που συμμετέχουν στις συνομιλίες ανησυχούν τώρα ότι η αριστερή κυβέρνηση στην Ελλάδα υπολογίζει λάθος τα πράγματα σε επικίνδυνο βαθμό».

«Η Αθήνα -πιστεύουν- παρατείνει σκοπίμως τις διαπραγματεύσεις μέχρι το τελευταίο λεπτό, πιστεύοντας ότι οι πιστωτές της τελικά θα “κλείσουν το μάτι” και θα συμφωνήσουν σε μία γενναία ελάφρυνση του χρέους και σε νέα κεφάλαια διάσωσης, με ελάχιστες δεσμεύσεις».

«Δεν θέλουν μια συμφωνία μαζί μας. Το μόνο που θέλουν είναι ελάφρυνση του χρέους» δήλωσε ένας ανώτερος αξιωματούχος μετά την εξέταση της τελευταίας πρότασης από την Ελλάδα.

«Δεν νομίζω ότι θα μετακινηθούν. Νομίζω ότι περιμένουν από εμάς να κλείσουμε το μάτι. Και δεν θα το κάνουμε» πρόσθεσε ο ίδιος αξιωματούχος. «Δεν καταλαβαίνουν ότι δεν είμαστε πίσω στο 2012, όταν οι Ευρωπαίοι ήταν πρόθυμοι απλά να ρίξουν χρήματα στο πρόβλημα.»

Σύμφωνα με το δημοσίευμα, το βαρύ κλίμα ήταν εμφανές και στην Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή, η οποία έχει θεωρηθεί ως ο καλύτερος σύμμαχος της Αθήνας.

«Σύμφωνα με αξιωματούχους που συμμετείχαν την Τρίτη σε ενημέρωση των 29 επιτρόπων στο Στρασβούργο, ο Ζαν-Κλοντ Γιούνκερ ξέσπασε εναντίον της ελληνικής κυβέρνησης, λέγοντας ότι η Αθήνα “έχασε την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή”».

«Δεν κατάφεραν να δουν ότι ο καλύτερος φίλος των μικρών και μεσαίων κρατών-μελών είναι η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή», δήλωσε ένας αξιωματούχος, εξιστορώντας τα σχόλια του προέδρου της ΕΕ στους επιτρόπους.

Το δημοσίευμα συνεχίζει κάνοντας αναφορά στις δηλώσεις αξιωματούχων να μην πραγματοποιηθεί το ραντεβού της Τετάρτης ανάμεσα στον Αλέξη Τσίπρα την Μέρκελ και τον Φρανσουά Ολάντ, αποδίδοντας -μεταξύ άλλων- στον Ζαν-Κλοντ Γιούνκερ τη φράση ότι δεν θα συμμετέχει εάν ο έλληνας πρωθυπουργός «έρθει με την ίδια στάση που είχε την περασμένη εβδομάδα».

Σημειώνεται ότι σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση της ελληνικής κυβέρνησης η νέα συνάντηση του πρωθυπουργού Αλέξη Τσίπρα με την Γερμανίδα καγκελάριο Ανγκελα Μέρκελ και τον Γάλλο πρόεδρο Φρανσουά Ολάντ αναμένεται να πραγματοποιηθεί κανονικά την Τετάρτη στο περιθώριο της Συνόδου Κορυφής ΕΕ – Λατινικής Αμερικής στις Βρυξέλλες. Στην ίδια ανακοίνωση δεν γίνεται λόγος για συνάντηση με τον Ζαν-Κλοντ Γιούνκερ.

Πηγή:in.gr

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is due in Brussels on Wednesday with the key goal of meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of a summit of leaders from European Union and Latin American countries and achieving a political breakthrough to slow-moving negotiations on a reform deal.

Tsipras spoke with Merkel and Hollande by telephone last weekend and his office said they would meet in Brussels on Wednesday. But some European officials raised questions on Tuesday about whether the meeting would take place, citing widespread disappointment with revised proposals submitted to creditors by Athens.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the government sent two supplementary documents to creditors, one proposing how to cover Greece’s fiscal gap and the other suggesting a plan for making the country’s debt sustainable.

The immediate reaction by European officials was rather cool with some saying the documents contained ideas that have been rejected in the past. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas indicated that the documents were being studied. “The three institutions are currently assessing these suggestions with diligence and care,” he told reporters in Brussels.

Other European officials expressed different levels of optimism about a possible deal. “I would say that reaching the agreement within coming days is possible,” EC Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said. However, he called on Greek authorities to show “less tactical maneuvering and more work on substance.”

Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem told the Dutch RTL Nieuws TV station, “I’ve heard a lot of optimism from the Greek side, and it’s an underestimation of the complexity of what’s being asked of them.”

Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb also appeared aggravated. “We will do everything to keep Greece in the eurozone… but our patience is running out,” he said.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told a conference organized by his conservative CDU party in Berlin that his working relationship with Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis was “OK,” adding however that the latter was “hard work.”

“We were together yesterday… we had differing views,” he said.

The updated proposals submitted by the Greek government to lenders included an increase in the primary surplus targets. Athens is now proposing a 0.75 percent of GDP surplus this year and 1.75 next year, compared to its previous offer of 0.6 percent and 1.5 percent respectively. The new proposal is closer to what lenders have suggested but still slightly short of their targets.

The Greek side continues to back the idea of three value-added tax rates, although it may raise the two lower brackets from 6.5 to 7 percent and 11 to 12, or even 13, percent. The top rate will remain at 23 percent. The bottom rate will apply only to medicines, books and theater tickets. Basic foodstuffs, fresh produce, utilities and hotel accommodation will be among the products in the middle bracket.

The government is aiming to raise around 1 billion euros from the change in VAT. Another 350 million euros is expected from the scrapping on the 30 percent reduction on VAT for Aegean islands. That means the government could raise some 1.3 billion euros from adjustments to VAT, up from 950 million euros in its previous proposals.

There are also plans to increase pensioners’ contributions to their health insurance, possibly from 4 to 6 percent of their retirement pay. That would raise around 500 million euros.

source:ekathimerini.com