On August 7, 1933, Greek philanthropist Aglaia Kyriakou signed a confidential will that would forever change pediatric healthcare in Greece. By leaving her entire fortune for the establishment of a children’s hospital, she transformed a deeply personal act of generosity into a lasting legacy that has benefited generations of young patients.
More than nine decades later, the hospital bearing her name remains one of Greece’s leading pediatric institutions, continuing the mission she envisioned at a time when childhood disease and mortality posed some of the country’s greatest public health challenges.
A woman raised in a family of learning and public service
Aglaia Panagiotou Kyriakou was born in Athens in 1846 into a distinguished family. She was the daughter of Spyridon Antoniadis—a scholar, historian, translator, and politician who belonged to the generation that helped shape the newly established Greek state.
In 1882, at the age of 36, she married Panagiotis Kyriakou, a prominent physician and professor at the University of Athens. Through her husband, she became closely acquainted with Greece’s medical community and gained firsthand insight into the country’s healthcare needs. The couple never had children. After her husband’s death in 1900, Aglaia devoted much of her life to philanthropy and charitable causes, gradually developing the vision that would define her legacy.
A vision born in challenging times
When Kyriakou made her decision in 1933, Greece was still grappling with the consequences of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees. The economic hardships of the interwar years placed enormous strain on the country’s healthcare system.
Pediatric medicine was still in its infancy. Although the Agia Sophia Children’s Hospital had already begun serving young patients, Greece’s growing population and high rates of infant and child mortality underscored the need for additional specialized pediatric care. Rather than making a symbolic donation, Kyriakou chose to fund an entirely new institution.
The will that changed pediatric care in Greece
On August 7, 1933, Aglaia Kyriakou signed a secret will leaving her entire estate—valued at approximately fifteen million drachmas—for the creation of a pediatric hospital that would bear the names of herself, her husband Panagiotis, and her family.
Historical accounts suggest that the decision was not made impulsively. According to historian Eleftherios Skiadas, Kyriakou had discussed the idea with physician and microbiologist Kyriakos Kyriazidis, reflecting a carefully considered effort to establish an institution dedicated to children’s health.
At a time when large-scale private philanthropy played a vital role in Greece’s development, her bequest ranked among the country’s most significant charitable gifts in the field of healthcare.
Turning a final wish into reality
Kyriakou did not live to see her dream fulfilled, but her wishes were carried out. Land adjacent to the Agia Sophia Children’s Hospital was allocated for the project, and the foundation stone was laid on November 8, 1934.
Construction progressed rapidly. The hospital was inaugurated on April 27, 1938 in the presence of King George II, government officials, and representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church. It officially opened its doors to patients on August 15, 1938, beginning with twenty beds before steadily expanding its facilities and medical services.
Despite the disruptions of World War II and the difficult times that followed, the institution continued to grow into one of Greece’s foremost centers for pediatric medicine, adding specialized clinics, neonatal services, dialysis units, research programs, and medical training through the years.
A legacy that continues to heal
Today, the General Children’s Hospital “Panagiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou” is one of Greece’s largest and most important pediatric hospitals.
It provides primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare while serving as a major teaching and research center for pediatric medicine. Every year, thousands of children from across Greece receive emergency treatment, specialized care, and long-term medical support within its walls.
Its continued work stands as a testament to the enduring impact of one woman’s generosity.
One of Greece’s great benefactors
Aglaia Kyriakou belongs to a long tradition of Greek national benefactors whose donations helped establish hospitals, schools, universities, libraries, museums, and other institutions that shaped the modern Greek state. Her contribution is especially remarkable because it was devoted entirely to children.
Although she never had children of her own, her name has become inseparable from the care of generations of Greek families. Every parent who walks through the doors of the hospital that bears her name becomes part of the legacy she set in motion when she signed her will on August 7, 1933.
More than ninety years later, Aglaia Kyriakou’s final wish continues to fulfill its purpose—offering healing, hope, and a brighter future for Greece’s youngest patients.
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