Greek Star Columnist and Tireless Advocate for Cancer Patients Passes Away

On July 26, Georgia Photopulos, a tireless advocate for those battling cancer, succumbed to her own 43-year battle with cancer and complications from heart surgery, with her loving and devoted husband Bud at her side. Her column, entitled “Of Tears and Triumphs,” appeared regularly in The Greek Star.

In 1968, Georgia received her first cancer diagnosis. Over the years, she’d endure 120 radiation treatments, undergo 19 cancer-related surgeries, brain surgery, heart bypass surgery and aortic valve replacement twice; plus many residual complications that continued to make each day a struggle.

Her original prognosis was one year. Georgia abiding faith guided her. She prayed, making a promise to God that if she lived she would do whatever she could to help those battling cancer.  It was a promise she spent her entire life fulfilling.

With the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Chicago, in 1973 she launched the Cancer Call-PAC (People Against Cancer), an award-winning, free, 24-hour emotional support phone service, utilizing survivors to help patients. It was the first in the US, and would serve as a prototype for future programs. This was the start of a 30-year association with ACS; Georgia served as a volunteer and spokesperson, trained volunteers, raised funds, and co-hosted a telethon. She wrote detailed scripts about emotional rehabilitation, used by ACS for professional education purposes.

Georgia served as a consultant to The National Institutes of Health and the Nixon Administration, as they set-up comprehensive cancer centers throughout the US, each with a hotline for people to call for support, helping them to create emotional support centers. From 1975-1977, she traveled around the country, conducting workshops to train the center administrators. Additionally, she helped establish the Institute’s nationwide information line, 1-800-4-CANCER, which is still in existence today. Georgia also served on the American College of Gynecologists’ national task force on breast and uterine cancer, and was a frequent lecturer to healthcare professionals and patients/survivors.

Her expertise was utilized by the daytime soap opera, “The Young and the Restless,” to compose realistic storylines, depicting the impact of breast cancer. These groundbreaking and Emmy award-winning sequences aired in 1976 and 1977.

She began writing a series of articles about cancer and illness for Lerner Newspapers. She later compiled these into the book, Of Tears and Triumphs, co-authored with her husband and published in 1988.  It hit the best-seller list in the first week, and remained there for several weeks.

Locally, Georgia started an annual Holy Unction service at St. Nectarios Church, also arranging for buses to transport people from other churches to attend the service.

She organized a cancer support group at SS Peter and Paul Church that was expanded to the entire Metropolis of Chicago. She helped to organize the Bishops Task Force on AIDS. Throughout her illness, she continued to counsel thousands of patients and their families.

Georgia appeared on more than 100 TV programs and spoke about women’s issues on the radio. Her work was heralded in print as well. Over the years, she contributed also to the Pioneer Press and The Greek Star.

She was honored by US Presidents Nixon and Carter at the White House. For her indefatigable efforts, Georgia was awarded many humanitarian and public service awards.  In 1997 she was named one of Chicago’s “Top 100 Women Making a Difference” by Today’s Chicago Woman magazine, and was the honoree at Resurrection Health Care’s benefit event. At the ACS-Chicago annual benefit in May 2010, she was the keynote speaker and was recognized as a long-term cancer survivor.

Battling an illness is tough, but when it’s one that’s not discussed and little support is available, it’s even more challenging. Georgia validated people’s feelings, gave support, inspired hope, instilled strength, and most of all, let people know they were not alone; that they’d be ok. Essentially, she gave them a lifeline. Her unending courage, faith and strength guided her on this journey. Georgia has fallen asleep, but she paved the way for emotional healing for so many cancer patients, and will continue to inspire those that unfortunately, will find themselves on this journey as well.