At the age of 71, New Democracy MP Marietta Giannakou died of a heart attack.
The former minister fought for several weeks in the ICU of the 251 General Air Force Hospital.
She had been admitted to the hospital after she fell from her wheelchair and had to undergo surgery as the doctors found that she had an hematoma.
In 2004 she was appointed Minister of National Education for the period 2004-2007, in the government of Costas Karamanlis. Her name was associated with an extensive attempt to reform the Greek education system.
In the 2009 European elections, she was chosen as the leader of the New Democracy ballot.
Marietta Giannakou’s life changed on February 6, 2008, when she underwent amputation of her right leg after a fracture. The diabetes she was suffering from prevented the wound from healing and caused an infection, with the result that her state of health deteriorated rapidly. This forced the doctors to hold an emergency meeting and decide to proceed with the amputation surgery in order to save her life.
