PaddlingForLifePaddlingForChildren

«Paddling for life, paddling for children» is a charity event that this year is under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis.
It has been taking place for the last few years by Costas Symeonides an athlete and trainer of windsurfing and stand up paddling, and his team. Their purpose is the financial support of non-profit organizations, that aim to help children.

In 2013 Costas Symeonides along with Nikos Karaoli, successfully completed a total distance of 80km in 12 hours from Pafos to Limassol while stand up paddling. They raised the total sum of €13,900, and this amount was donated to the "Cyprus Red Cross Society". In 2014 Costas successfully completed with his team a distance of total 400km (Kastelorizo – Limassol). They raised a total sum of €35,000, and this amount was donated to the "Center for Preventive Pedeatrics". In 2016 Costas successfully completed with his team a distance of 700km within 10 days paddling (Crete - Cyprus). They raised a total sum of €35,000, and this amount was also donated to the "Center for Preventive Pedeatrics".

This year Costas Symeonides has set an even bigger goal. On the 12th of August he will attempt to travel a distance of 850km (Mykonos-Cyprus) on a paddle board, followed by a 10-man crew for marine support .The event will be organized by a team of 30 people and many volunteers. This year, the net proceeds will be donated for the financial support of the Center for Preventive Pediatrics and the Karaiskakio Foundation.

The Center for Preventive Pediatrics

The Center for Preventive Pediatrics offers to all pregnant women and newborn babies screening programs that are aimed towards the prevention of mental handicap and hearing loss. Within the framework of the Neonatal Screening Program all newborn babies, after their first 48 hours of life, are given blood tests for metabolic diseases. The Prenatal Screening Program offers to all pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy, blood tests that are aimed towards the determination of the risk of chromosomal abnormalities. Τhe Neonatal Hearing Screening Program offers to all neonates after their first 10 days of life, hearing tests that are aimed towards the detection and prevention of hearing loss.
All programs are offered free of charge to all (of both the public and the private sectors). The Government covers only a part of its annual budget, therefore the organization relies on contributions and fund raising events to cover the rest of its budget. ( www.cpp.org.cy)

Karaiskakeio Foundation

Karaiskakio Foundation is a non - profit organization established with the sole purpose of organizing a volunteer Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Today, by setting a dynamic vision “for a world without leukemia”, it combines volunteering and specialized scientific support, in order to serve the needs of patients with haematological malignancies both effectively and efficiently.
Today a new strategic goal of the Karaiskakio Foundation, is the establishment of a state of the art “Childhood Cancer Diagnostic Centre” that will enable doctors and scientists to implement advanced targeted treatments against childhood cancer, thereby improving survival rates and minimizing treatment related collateral damage.(www.karaiskakio.org.cy)