The President of FairLife Lung Cancer Care speaks to Filippa Tabari and Women’s Voice about the first organization in Greece exclusively dedicated to lung cancer, founded in memory of her husband, and presents the rich work of the award-winning organization on both the prevention of the disease and the support to patients and their families.
When despair becomes power, when science meets hope, when empathy has a face, there you will meet my guest for today. A woman who is always calm, approachable, social and smiling.
Korina Pateli-Bell is a personality that managed to implement and continue a highly important work, which started from the loss of a beloved person. “Why?” became “now” for Mrs. Pateli-Bell, “now” for help with lung cancer, “now” for “together”, “now” for offer and finding solutions.
FairLife Lung Cancer Care offers significant work in lung cancer care and prevention, and it has numerous and essential activities to present, as well as assistance to patients and those around them. Let’s get to know, today, this important journey from its starting point.
Mrs. Pateli, thank you very much for our discussion today. I would like to start by presenting FairLife. What is its work?
FairLife Lung Cancer Care is the first organization in Greece exclusively dedicated to lung cancer. It was founded in 2020, in memory of my husband, Simon Bell, with the vision that no patient and no family is without support.
From the very beginning, we set clear lines of action: Awareness about prevention, early diagnosis, molecular testing and clinical studies, demanding equal access to innovative treatments and psychosocial support for patients, caregivers and families. At the same time, we combat smoking-related stigma, we speak to the young about the value of clean environment, and we support the training of oncology nurses. Today, this effort is not only our effort. We collaborate with over 80 scientists, 25 international organizations and a solid group of volunteers and ambassadors. However, the challenge remains huge: In Greece, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. One life is lost almost every hour.
In five years, we have connected our name with prevention, supporting every step towards the implementation of screening at the National Prevention Plan. Our 16 awards – the title “Organization of the Year 2024” among them – honour our work; however, the greatest reward is the gratitude of the patients and their families.
Yet, despite the steps toward, lung cancer challenges in Greece remain major. And we should all work together, always with the assistance of the State, not only to finally change the statistics, but also for the people experiencing the disease to enjoy a better quality of life and care after the diagnosis.
I was reading at FairLife website that you imagine an ideal world without cancer. How do you actively support the creation of such a world?
For me, the vision of FairLife LCC comes to life every time a life is saved thanks to our initiatives.
Through “Healthy Lungs” Program, we enabled hundreds of our fellow citizens to get free screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), in collaboration with local pulmonary clinics. Of the 475 participants, one out of three required further investigation, whereas 85% didn’t even know the basic symptoms of lung cancer. What I find truly moving is that lives were saved thanks to these screenings; solid evidence that prevention starts with awareness.
Since 2024, the program travels across Greece: Thessaloniki, Larissa, Alexandroupolis, Patras and now Athens, where we collaborate with General Hospital for Thoracic Diseases of Athens “Sotiria” to offer 300 free LDCT scans. We create an awareness core at every city, with events and awareness-raising activities, for the citizens to learn how to prevent and how to support a holistic approach to lung health.
The change of mindset is necessary. Prevention and early diagnosis are not a cost, they’re investment: At an early stage, the probability of survival reaches 80%, while treatment cost is dramatically reduced. Yet, in Greece 7 out of 10 patients are diagnosed too late, at an advanced stage. The establishment of a national screening programme is not an option; it’s the only option.
Data is clear: According to the 9th LuCE Report, over 55% of the people diagnosed were not aware of the risk to develop the disease. Although the majority identified smoking as a risk factor, few were aware of the rest. At the same time, LDCT has proven to reduce mortality, up to 33%.
Despite the submission of the screening plan for lung cancer, designed with interdisciplinary collaboration and the contribution of FairLife LCC, Greece, two and a half years later, remains without the implementation of a national programme. And that is something that must be changed immediately.
Tell us about your actions.
Our actions are divided into pillars:
- Information and awareness-raising on prevention. Through campaigns, conferences, podcasts and the digital library “Learn, Act, Hope” we inform citizens across Greece. At the organization’s annual conference that is organized every November -awareness month for the disease- a large part of the discussion is devoted to prevention and early detection. At FairLife website you can find a special website, dedicated to screening, with information about the symptoms, the risk factors, the ways of preventing lung cancer and a short quiz that helps us find out if we meet the screening criteria.
- Training of healthcare professionals and nurses. FairLife LCC implements, in 2025, an innovative two-cycle training program for nurses in Greece. The program promotes holistic care, addresses burnout and provides certification by ICN. We train oncology nurses to become patients’ navigators. There is great interest in “OncoNoesis”. Already, 1,674 people have attended online the 1st webinar we organized for the program.
- Combating stigma. Unfortunately, stereotypes, especially in lung cancer, are the reality. The stigma of the disease related to smoking history is a serious matter that appears to affect research funding and causes guilt and negative psychology. FairLife LCC opened the debate with the implementation of the campaign “Ask the right question”, which ran in Greece for the first time in Europe, against smoker’s stigma. And we continue getting the message across that “Whoever has lungs may develop the disease”.
- Psychosocial support. “BREATH”, the award-winning (with four awards) and multidimensional psychosocial support program -the heart of FairLife- offers free individual sessions, groups of patients, caregivers, and grief, self-care groups, while the new “FairYouth” is addressed to young people, 18- 25 years old, who have lost a parent to lung cancer. We are proud because, from 2022 to this day, we have already supported over 1,100 patients and caregivers with over 6,100 hours of psychosocial support, across Greece. The results are impressive: Over 92% state that they would participate again. “BuddySystem” is about to start; An innovative network where former patients will support new patients, via telephone or online communication. A true bridge of hope, which reminds us that no one is alone in this journey.
- Awareness-raising for equal access to new treatments, comprehensive molecular testing and available clinical studies. Biomarkers are the “key” to personalized treatment, because they bring Precision Medicine closer to each patient’s needs. Part of the mission of FairLife LCC has always been awareness-raising on the value of comprehensive molecular testing in lung cancer treatment. Everyone must have equal opportunities for their health, beyond social, economic or demographic factors.
As regards clinical studies, where do we stand?
Clinical studies are undoubtedly a unique tool in the service of science. Behind each new medicine, behind each new surgery successfully performed today, there are thousands of people who have voluntarily participated in clinical studies.
In recent years, the number of clinical studies has been growing rapidly in Oncology. Unfortunately, our country generally lags behind in the number of clinical studies, when compared to other countries in Europe of similar size, such as Hungary, Denmark and Belgium. A large majority of patients do not know what clinical studies are, the matter has never been discussed with their doctor, they were never given the option to participate in a clinical study.
Think that only 49% of the patients in our country have undergone comprehensive biomarker testing, which results in serious inequalities in healthcare. FairLife LCC works to change this reality. It informs patients, collaborates with doctors and exerts institutional pressure, so that biomarkers and clinical studies become genuinely available to everyone.
The patients’ stories are the strongest proof of the value of innovation. Polixeni, with ROS1 mutation, goes on with her life thanks to targeted treatment. Ioanna, a young mother that never smoked, found hope through treatment for EGFR mutation. And Christos, with KRAS G12C, lived a quality life for months and wrote the book “Breath of Life”, dedicated to FairLife. These testimonies prove that access to clinical studies is not luxury but a matter of life or death.
Iknow that you don’t receive state funding. If someone wishes to offer, what should they do?
FairLife LCC doesn’t receive any state funding. We keep growing thanks to the generosity of people, sponsors, foundations and, certainly, our volunteers. Whoever wishes to support our work, can do so via our website www. fairlifelcc.com. At the same time, there is the option of becoming a volunteer and actively participating in activities and events of our organization. Because lung cancer concerns us all. It is a social issue, and every contribution is valuable if we want to change the landscape of the disease.
And all this, Mrs. Pateli, in memory of Simon Bell. Would you like to tell us his story?
Simon was an extraordinary person, husband and father. He was healthy, active, and full of energy. But when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, the diagnosis came too late. We lost him in a year. His last wish was that an organization be created to support people in his condition. That’s how FairLife was born. From pain we sowed a seed of hope, so that no one is isolated in that difficult path of cancer.
What are your next plans?
We want to get closer to all the people affected by lung cancer in Greece. To expand “Healthy Lungs” to more cities, enrich “OncoNoesis”, issue a psychological support guide, consolidate “FairYouth” and “BuddySystem” programmes and keep demanding the integration of screening to NHS (ESY) and reimbursement of biomarker tests.
We also want to make the patients’ voices louder. An informed patient is stronger and mentally shielded to walk with hope in the path of cancer.
As you say at your social media, “Life goes on with light”. Where do you draw strength from?
For me, strength emanates from the people we have supported all those years. When I hear patients and families speak about the work of FairLife and say that they feel less lonely thanks to our support, I also take courage. I am inspired by the dignity in which patients address the disease, the dedication of their caregivers, and the young people who, despite challenges, keep looking to the future with hope, beyond disease and loss.
My children, Melina and Eric have always been my greatest source of strength. Despite their pain, they stood up and chose to move forward with optimism.
Actually, that is the message of FairLife LCC: That, even through the most difficult times, we can find light -through love, solidarity and hope.
Through various events and awareness-raisings activities, FairLife LCC “trains” citizens on preventing and supporting a holistic approach to lung health.
https://1voice.gr/korina-pateli-mpel-akomi-kai-mesa-stis-pio-dyskoles-stigmes-mporoyme-na-vroyme-fos/
