Testimonials
Read testimonials from adolescents and parents about the Adolescent Health Unit. Real stories of the care and support provided by our team.
«I came to the Adolescent Health Unit at the age of 14, following pressure from my parents who were looking for people who could take on the health problem I had. Anorexia nervosa, an illness of our time that requires specialized treatment. I was lucky because the branch of the Adolescent Health Unit of the General Children’s Hospital of Athens ‘Panagiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou’ had just been founded. It was a very difficult period in my life, and my very life was in danger. As time went by, surrounded by the specialized staff of the Unit, I realized how lucky I was to have met them. People with knowledge about adolescents, with the will to help every case, and love for what they offered. Thanks to these people, I overcame my problem. My parents were also helped, since therapy is also available for parents to help their children. It was a chronic treatment, but they were by my side every moment, for every phone call. My life today is free from the illness of that time, as I worked with their help and with myself. I became independent and a better person, with the will to help adolescents in my turn and encourage them to visit the Unit! Thank you very much!»
«The only thing I would unequivocally not change is the day I visited the Adolescent Health Unit, and I was lucky to have people near me who, by putting in effort and showing persistence, opened paths for me and introduced me to my true self. It is important for all children to have this possibility to know their true ‘ego’, which according to Eric Berne consists of three states: the parent, the adult, and the child. So, when the parent state fails to build the necessary foundations for supporting the ego, this is where our Unit steps in.»
«As parents, we faced an intense problem with our 15-year-old daughter, who had all the symptoms of a child being bullied in her school and social environment. Malaise, eating disorders, withdrawal from school duties and other activities. The response of the AHU team to our problem was far beyond my expectations. It was not treated as just another case that had to be ‘processed’ with scheduled appointments. There was real interest and flexibility so that there could be an immediate and substantial solution to the problem. The most important thing is that my daughter felt comfortable, handling the communication with the Unit herself without our intervention. Apart from the scheduled appointments, she went there when there was an emergency, ‘opened up’ to the Unit’s staff, and always returned relieved and with greater self-confidence. All the physical symptoms that had arisen were also addressed. As I understood, this is a University structure, and the techniques used in my daughter’s case were innovative and adapted to her situation, which is why we had quick and substantial results.”»
«We would like to express our trust and gratitude to the Adolescent Health Unit and its scientific team for the discretion, respect, and effectiveness with which they handled our very difficult situation, having our youngest child with gender dysphoria.
At the Unit, the child felt comfortable, was particularly helped in how to manage many situations they face, and became strong and confident. Any question we have about the treatment and our progress, they explain and support us accordingly, while answering our queries and proposing solutions whenever issues arise.
The Unit also handles practical issues that arise, e.g., we can come at times when the child does not miss school, and we can come outside of scheduled hours for emergencies, creating a sense of safety, and it facilitates us greatly. There is a team of specialists related to our case (adolescent doctor, endocrinologist, child psychiatrist, and family counselor) who discuss among themselves for the best outcome.»
«During my visits to the Adolescent Health Unit, I met wonderful people who helped me and continue to help me with the various difficulties I face. Their approach is holistic, while they constantly treat me with care and sincere empathy. After every visit, I leave the department with real solutions to my problems and with advice that has changed my way of thinking, which was particularly dysfunctional given the anxiety and my burdened history.
The treatment by the staff was the best I have ever encountered in a public health structure. I would describe the department as a miniature family and my doctor as a mother full of love and care for her children.
My contact with the department was not just positive; it made me not lose hope for humanity and the Greek health system. I sincerely hope that the work these people offer is recognized and that they are rewarded twice over for their contribution. The feeling that would describe what I feel is real gratitude! I never regretted my visit there, and if I could turn back time, I would do exactly the same again.»
«A year ago, my eldest son, who was in his last year of High School at the time, was facing a significant learning difficulty, accompanied by intense anxiety that created a climate of insecurity and concern for the whole family.
A family friend referred me to the Adolescent Health Unit (AHU) of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens, ‘P. & A. Kyriakou’ Children’s Hospital.
The Unit was an ideal framework for us, given that it accepted adolescents up to 18 years old—something not done in other departments of the Children’s Hospital—and it also had very good organization and experience with these ages and their needs. My son felt very comfortable, took all the tests he needed, and the staff was very informative, paying particular attention to the slightest detail and with a willingness to support my son in any way that was within the framework of what was possible and what he was entitled to.
My son has succeeded in the Panhellenic Exams today, and it is most likely that from September he will be studying at the school of his choice. The support and catalytic intervention at a crucial moment for my child’s future were decisive points for this result.
We will always express our gratitude to the AHU staff and the ‘P. & A. Kyriakou’ Children’s Hospital, who gave us the solution.»
«I contacted the Adolescent Health Unit (AHU) of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens, ‘P. & A. Kyriakou’ Children’s Hospital, in June 2017 to assess and help my minor daughter, a student in the 2nd year of High School at the time, for a problem that was identified by her school, as well as me—her mother—in view of the Panhellenic exams.
Specifically, doctors and educators who had first-hand knowledge of the services of the Adolescent Health Unit (AHU) recommended to me unconditionally to turn to them.
I was very impressed by the way they treated me and my minor daughter at the Unit: with sensitivity, professionalism, and excellent medical knowledge/experience. My daughter, who was experiencing intense anxiety, fear, and insecurity due to the issue she was facing, gradually managed it, received the appropriate support, and was able to be functional and focus on her goal.
At the Unit, there was no superficial handling of our problem, but real interest and flexibility—so that with the appropriate and indicated ways, the situation could be evaluated, and there could be an immediate and substantial diagnosis of the problem. Directions were given for the treatment, and there was the appropriate climate so that my daughter felt comfortable with her particularity and safe to move on with her life. My daughter is now a second-year student at a School she was interested in as her first choice.
Both I and other parents I met at our appointments at the Unit felt lucky and grateful that we learned about it, that we turned to it, that we cooperated with it, and that it exists for adolescents and their parents like a ‘guardian angel’ in the difficult age of adolescence and the social circumstances we live in.»
