Eleni Vavas, an assistant professor and director of Echocardiology at North Shore University Hospital, died at her Manhasset home last Tuesday after a two-year battle with stomach cancer. She was 37.
But even as Vavas personally fought the disease, she crusaded to ensure a cure was found for others.
In March, she helped raise more than $69,000 for Cycle for Survival, a not-for-profit organization associated with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Cycle for Survival officials said they were saddened by Vavas’ passing but declined to comment.
Vavas grew up in upstate Marlboro and later attended Cornell University and went on to SUNY Upstate Medical University, according to an obituary provided by her family.
She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital, then served as chief cardiology fellow at New York University Medical Center.
Vavas and her husband John met on an online dating site in 2006 and married in 2008. They had one child together, a son named Zachary.
Efforts to reach John Vavas were unavailing.
Viewing was held on Thursday and Friday at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Port Washington. A Trisagion service was held on Friday.
A funeral for Vavas was held on Saturday at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. She was buried at Nassau Knolls Cemetery in Port Washington.
Vavas is survived by her husband John and son Zachary, parents Zachary and Voula Doufekias; in-laws Daniel and Sue Vavas; sister Spyridoula Adanuncio and brother-in-law James Adanuncio; sister Niki Dounis, her husband Demetrios and son Peter; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law James and Vicky Vavas and their children, Daniel and Chyrssa.
