NEW YORK – The Hellenic Medical Society of New York (HMSNY) held its annual Dr. Papanicolaou Conference on May 4. Dr. Spyros Mezitis was Chair of the event which honored Dr. Jeannine Villella, Director of Northwell Cancer Institute Manhattan, Vice President, Women’s Health Chief in Gynecologic Oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital / Northwell Health, who gave the Keynote Lecture on Dr. Papanicolaou’s Legacy in Gynecologic Oncology. 

Medical doctors, students, and friends attended in-person at the Weill Medical Education Center of Weill Medical College in New York City while members of Hellenic Medical Societies in the United States, Canada, and Europe attended via Zoom teleconference.

President of the Federation of Hellenic Medical Societies of North America and Past President of HMSNY Dr. Mezitis and current HMSNY President Dr. Antonios Gasparis in their remarks emphasized the contributions of Dr. Georgios N. Papanicolaou to science and Hellenism.

Dr. Heidi Stuhlmann, Chair of the Department of Cell and Development Biology at Weill Medical College where Dr. Papanicolaou served as Professor of Anatomy for 47 years and invented the Pap Test that has saved millions of women’s lives from cervical cancer spoke of his influence on the Department and medical research.

Dr. Frank Chervenak, former Chair of Obstetrics-Gynecology (OB-GYN) at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and current Chair of OB-GYN at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City recounted his annual contributions to the medical symposium and emphasized the legacy of Dr. Papanicolaou.

Tony Ringos, Past-President of the Panevoikos Society of America, followed and described Dr. Papanicolaou’s life in Greece, studies in Europe, and his immigration with his wife Andromachi to the United States.

Julie Kokkori, grand-niece of Dr. Papanicolaou spoke from Athens, Greece, about the books written on Dr. Papanicolaou and the digitalized archives on the internet.

Dr. Mezitis presented slides of Dr. Papanicolaou, HMSNY Co-Founder in 1936, the physician’s bust dedication at Weill Medical College in 1979, and the annual Dr. Papanicolaou Symposia at Cornell since 2003 including Physician Awards to Dr. Harald zur Hausen, 2008 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Physiology, and Dr. Roy Vagelos, former president, CEO (1985) and chairman (1986) of Merck, chairman of the board of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Columbia University, and major benefactor of the HMSNY.

The Hellenic Medical Society has established an annual scholarship for a Weill Cornell medical student of Hellenic descent. Dr. Stella Lymberis, HMNSY Past Vice President, current Secretary, and leading member of the HMSNY Dr. Papanicolaou Committee presented this year’s honoree Julianna Kostas, Weill Medical College Class of 2023.

Furthermore, with the collaboration of educator Dr. Demosthenis Triantafillou, Founder of the Greek-American Academy of Philosophy, Science, and Education, high school students of Hellenic descent residing in the United States receive prizes for writing essays in Greek on the legacy of Dr. Papanicolaou.  This year, the following high school students received monetary awards in person, in alphabetical order:

Ioanna Chatzizisis, Eleni Karaiskos, Maria Kourounis, George Lazarou, Mihalis Liakos, and Ana Morillo.

Finally, HMSNY presented the annual Dr. Papanicolaou Award which honors a physician of exceptional contribution to medical science who delivers the keynote lecture at the conference. This year, Dr. Jeannine Villella received the 2023 Award from Dr. Gasparis.

In closing, the advertisements of the sponsors were presented which included the Federation of Hellenic Medical Societies of North America, Philhellene Dr. Frank Chervenak, Chair OB-GYN at Lenox Hill Hospital/Northwell Health, Professor Demosthenis Triantafillou, HMSNY President Dr. Gasparis, HMSNY Past President Dr. Panagiotis Manolas, HMSNY Secretary Dr. Stella Lymberis, and Event Chair Dr. Mezitis.

HMSNY invites everyone again next May to pay tribute to Dr. Papanicolaou at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.