Another complaint comes to light about the 424 Military Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece, this time involving a 65-year-old retired colonel who learned he had due cancer with a delayed… eight months late.

Stavros Sakellaropoulos underwent surgery at the 424 GSNE to remove a morphoma from his leg. Despite his repeated requests, he was never informed of the biopsy results. Eight months later, a lump reappeared in the same location.

It all happened in June 2019 and, he complains, the doctor assured him that the lump did not need to be sent to an outside pathology lab for a biopsy, but seven to eight months after the first procedure, the lump reappeared in the same spot and that’s when he was informed he had cancer.

The retired colonel was at the Military Court in Thessaloniki this morning to testify as a witness in the case of the 55-year-old lieutenant who went for appendectomy surgery and a year later was informed he had cancer.

“I came to testify for Lt. Guliopoulos because I feel very bad seeing him being subjected to this because I have my own storyat the 424 Military Hospital. I want to say get well soon, have strength and faith. So I will tell you my story very soon,” Sakellaropoulos said, initially.

He explained that “in June 2019 I got a growth on my leg, on my right tibia, I had surgery at the Military Hospital and I told the doctor who performed the surgery to send the biopsy out. Twice I even told him twice. “No, there’s no need, I’m not worried, there’s no reason I can’t see anything,” he said. Three months later I bother him again and say “what’s the biopsy about?”. No answer. Then again and again I call him, at seven months, in January 2020 again in my leg two small lumps come out. I am very worried, I call him again, I tell him “I got two lumps in my leg”. He says “don’t worry, we’ll get them out”. I say “the biopsy?”. Nothing, no answer.”

As he went on to say, “A few days pass because I was out of Thessaloniki and in February I call the officer in charge of the department where they take the biopsies. I tell him “I have a problem, where is my biopsy for 7-8 months?” He says “call me in two days”. I call him in two days and he coldly and cynically says “you have malignancy sir”. “What are you saying? Are you serious?” I said. Within two days where were these findings? Forgotten? Lost? Where did these people have them?. To cut a long story short, after a while because I was in the country, I went to the hospital I had an MRI, I had a CT scan, fortunately I didn’t have a metastasis. I took the findings with my relative and sent them out to a lab. Grade three cancer, sarcoma. I immediately had surgery in the hospital, of course with another doctor, and thankfully I’m alive.”

He stressed that “by luck I am alive, and I got off cheaply and I apologize to the lieutenant for not reporting at the time, I didn’t have the courage – although I am not that kind of person, I have courage – but when you are told you have cancer you look to save your life, not to make moves. It is unacceptable what is happening. I believe in justice, I believe the truth will be found. And of course all doctors are not like these few, most doctors are excellent. I’m really sorry because no one should play with our lives,” he said and said he would take legal action against them “because this should not be allowed to stand.”

The lawyer, Artemis Diallina, said that “as you can see we have the second case. What I want to note is that this case happened in 2019, the police officer’s case happened in 2023, so you see that there is a duration to this thing that is happening. The doctors are not the same, however there seems to be a common practice in this regard, a course of, a devaluation of life. What I want to tell you and what struck me tremendously is that when this man found out that he had sarcoma he went to ask his treating physician in a very, very polite way along with his relatives. So his relative approached the doctor and said “this situation is unacceptable, it is unacceptable to leave this man undiagnosed for 8 months, it is unacceptable to treat this case”. “I” says the doctor “am done with this case, I removed the tumor so I’m done”. Says the relative “no you are not finished, you are wrong is it possible for a doctor to be finished in surgery? The biopsy was not taken into account. If you don’t know what the biopsy says how can you see what the cancer is?” And the answer was “pass out.” That’s the arrogant attitude, to a man who comes to you and tells you that I’m losing life, that I could have metastases, that if I wasn’t bothering you, which I shouldn’t because you’re my doctors you should be the ones to call me and tell me what I have. So instead of giving me an apology, you turn around and say get out. That’s who they are and of course we’re letting you know that there will be a follow-up.”

Attorney Nassos Dialynas, in turn, said that “the problem is that after the police officer revealed what is happening, the phone keeps ringing at our office from people who have suffered the same thing. Saying the same thing is the indifference shown by doctors, these doctors, as to the progress, treatment and life of some people. This particular person came to us and the first conversation was “guys I feel guilty”. That is, people not only come to defend their right and what they have experienced but also to defend others. So it breaks an abscess which should end here and this will be done through a proper control for the administration of justice.”

Finally, attorney Nikos Dialinas, said the following: “Mr Sakellaropoulos is a second witness who is coming today, next week we will have another victim, and he has a number of evidence. And what he told you that he said to them “where is the biopsy?” he has recorded in a protocol number in handwritten form we will submit to the prosecutor where he says “I reserve my right because for 8.5 months you have not given me the biopsy”. That’s the first one. The second is that at this moment Mr Sakellaropoulos is undergoing radiotherapy, he may not have wanted to tell you, that is, as you can see, things are good but he was in danger of losing his life and he was lucky because the cancer, the sarcoma he had was external, otherwise it would not have gone. Because I know people and things I tell you that not all doctors are the same so this story has depth in the past and that is why I am calling and saying that the medical records should be opened immediately because we may have cases of patients who have malignancy and do not know it, “said Mr. Dialinas who added that:

“All the leadership of 424 knows this problem, they know it in writing now, I bring you evidence that they knew it in writing and from there onwards don’t dare to talk about understaffing, don’t dare because understaffing with life does not exist and bring us documents who they have informed that they cannot respond to biopsies. Let them also go accused, wherever they are and in whatever position they are in. Do you realize that here we have fallen into a situation where it is not a case of unpunished and financial crimes, here they are playing with the lives of patients. Today we are submitting in writing to the prosecutor handling the case the evidence of Mr. Sakellaropoulos all. We ask that he be summoned, that his file be seized and we ask that they do what is legal because the crime of exposure is prosecuted ex officio.”

Asked if he believes the problem is a matter of the hospital or the doctors, he replied “both”