Pregnancy Complications
Infant- and Family-Centered Developmental Care
Respiratory Infections
Neonatal Eye Health
Hygiene
Rare Diseases
Guest Article by Dr. Eleni Vavouraki, President of Ilitominon
On June 6 in Athens, the parent organization Ilitominon celebrated its 15th anniversary with a landmark scientific event entitled “Together from the First Breath”, highlighting family-centered developmental care as an essential foundation for the well-being and long-term outcomes of preterm infants.
In their opening remarks, Dr. Lela Vavouraki, President of Ilitominon, Silke Mader, Chairwoman of GFCNI, and Erietta Kourkoulou-Latsi, President of Kind Things Public Benefit Foundation, shared the family perspective and emphasized the vital role that parent organizations play as drivers of positive change in neonatal healthcare systems around the world.
The conference also provided an opportunity to introduce NeuBriC, a new educational initiative developed by Ilitominon. NeuBriC aims to promote evidence-based family-centered trauma-informed developmental care through interdisciplinary training, professional education, and collaboration among healthcare providers and families.
As part of the program, the NeuBriC faculty team — Pani Pantelides, Giannis Lemonis, Tasos Mokas, and Maria Papafilippou — facilitated a series of rotating workshops. These interactive sessions offered participants practical tools and perspectives from different disciplines, demonstrating the value of collaborative developmental care.
During the afternoon scientific session, lectures were delivered by Pani Pantelides, Stina Klemming, Pierre Kuhn, Dieter Wolke, and Monique van Ouder.
The presentations covered the full continuum of family-centered developmental care, from the neonatal intensive care unit to adolescence and adulthood for individuals born preterm.
Drawing on extensive clinical expertise, research experience, and years of dedicated work in neonatal and developmental care, the speakers provided evidence-based insights while inspiring participants to further advance family-centered practices within their own healthcare settings.
The success of the conference was reflected in the consistently full lecture halls from early morning until late evening. Attendees remained highly engaged throughout the day, actively participating in discussions and workshops. Many reported leaving the event inspired and motivated to implement meaningful changes in their own professional environments.
As Ilitominon marks fifteen years of advocacy, support, and collaboration, this anniversary conference served not only as a celebration of past achievements but also as a powerful reminder that meaningful progress in neonatal care is achieved when families and professionals work together from the very first breath. The event reaffirmed a shared commitment to ensuring that every preterm infant and family receives the compassionate, evidence-based, and family-centered care they deserve.
GFCNI is the first global organization and network to unite patients, families, healthcare professionals,
medical staff, and scientists from different disciplines, fields,
and countries – all with the joint goal of advancing the health and quality of care for newborns and their families across the globe.
GFCNI is a non-profit organization established under German public law. Tax Reference Number: 143/235/22619
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