This September marks four years since the passing of baby Konstantina Angelique Gribilas.
In honour of her memory, her parents and founders of the Konstantina Angelique Gribilas Foundation, Kosta and Poppy are harnessing their heartbreak and channelling it into a worthy cause by joining forces with Greece-based children’s charity The Smile of the Child (Το Χαμόγελο του Παιδιού) to host a gala event on Friday 6 October.
Their target is to raise $500,000 which will allow the fund to directly purchase a critical mobile preventative medical unit.
Run by a team of volunteer medical practitioners, including qualified paediatricians, dentists, and cardiologists, the mobile medical centre travels to remote areas across Greece and is equipped to offer medical examinations and to administer any necessary treatments.
To assist them in their mission some of Greece’s biggest A-list celebrities have offered to come onboard as part of the gala event.
Set to be hosted at Doltone House Australian Technology Park in Sydney, MCs on the night will be lead actors of Greece’s popular series Brousko,
Andreas Georgiou, and producer Koullis Nikolaou.
Entertaining guests will be The Voice finalist C Major and singer Kelly Kelekidou. After previously helping the fund raise $400,000 for the Sydney Children’s Hospital, the Greek singer is donating her talents again and will head Down Under to perform a mini concert on the night.
With The Smile of the Child having been started by the father of Andreas, a 10-year-old boy who passed away from cancer, Poppy says being all too familiar with the heartbreak of losing a child they instantly connected with the charity and its mission to respond to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of children across Greece.
To help them reach their impressive target, the husband and wife are calling on the entire Greek community of Australia for their assistance and generosity.
“It’s close to Konstantina’s four year anniversary, on 16 September. We’ve always wanted to do something for Greece and that’s why we’re doing it this year; we wanted to do it as close as possible to that date,” Poppy told Neos Kosmos.
“This is not just for New South Wales, it’s the whole of Australia, all the Greek communities, if everyone can please unite to donate. These children are in remote areas which have no access to doctors or anything like that … we’re going to change children’s lives.”
To show your support by purchasing tickets to the gala event or donating to the cause, visit kagfsmileofthechild.wixsite.com/smileofthechild
For questions or concerns contact Vanilla Bean Events via email chantal@vanillabeanevents.com.au or call (02) 9712 3861. To find out more about The Smile of the Child, visit hamogelo.gr or facebook.com/Hamogelo.org/