Andreas Giannopoulos

A big hero of our times is Kostas Giannopoulos, the founder of "Hamogelo tou paidiou", "The smile of a child". For 20 years he has been helping thousands of kids who were in danger, needed a home or medical treatment. 

 

The spur for this organisation was the death of the 10th year old son of Kostas Giannopoulos, Andreas, who suffered from cancer, but in the end wasn't able to beat his disease. The name of the organisation was found from a phrase that Andreas wrote in his diary and also said to his father: "every kid deserves a smile"

Right now the real heritage of the organisation is Adreas' diary. His smile gave hope to every child in the streets who doesn't have home or money to survive. To every kid who is in danger not only in the streets, but also in their own homes. 

The "smile of a child" became known from a Greek show named "Kokkini Karta" or "Red card" of George Papadakis. Almost every citizen in Greece watched the show that night but Andreas wasn't there to say about his problems. He couldn't say about what was torturing him or that he was trying to fight against cancer. But behind the cameras a 10th year old boy said the words that shocked the whole country:

"We all know the kids who are in the streets walking without a smile on their faces because they do not have money, food, parents or home, but we do nothing to help them. So, think about doing things than saying how sorry we feel about them. Let's just cooperate and give everything we can to poor children, because every kid deserves a smile. If we help and join forces, we are all going to make it." 

These were the words some weeks before his death. The only thing he asked was so simple and pure but in the same time too difficult to be succeeded. 

In my opinion the hero here is not only his father who founded the organisation, but also Andreas who gave hope to every kid with his own smile and those words he said before his death.