Two longtime friends and colleagues from St. Louis — Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett and Dr. Konstantinos Psihramis — have announced respective gifts of $12,000 each, creating a $24,000 commitment to the Greek America Foundation’s Project Hope for Greece campaign. Their generosity will directly support Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Hellas, specifically the sponsorship of a family apartment at Agia Irini Children’s Hospital in Athens for the calendar year 2026.
In addition to matching Dr. Psihramis’s $12,000 gift, Dr. Hatchett has also committed a sustaining donation of $1,000 per month through 2026, designated for food, clothing, and essential supplies for families supported by RMHC Hellas. This ongoing contribution ensures that families not only have a place to stay during their child’s hospitalization, but also the daily necessities they need to navigate an unimaginably difficult chapter of their lives.
In recognition of their generosity, for the calendar year 2026, the sponsored apartment will be named: The Greek America Foundation Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett & Dr. Konstantinos Psihramis Apartment
The apartment will provide parents of critically ill children a safe, comfortable home-away-from-home — complete with kitchen facilities, laundry services, rest areas, and overnight accommodations — allowing them to remain close to their child’s bedside without financial burden, as described in RMHC Hellas’s mission “to provide a nurturing environment for hospitalized children and their families… offering hope, love and laughter with compassion and care”.
This gift continues our financial support that we began in 2024 and deepens our long-standing partnership with RMHC Hellas, where Greek America Corps volunteers serve every summer, preparing meals, supporting families, and helping maintain the Family Room and apartments. It is a powerful example of how our work is amplified through friendship, shared purpose, and lived values.
About the Donors
Born in a small village outside Sparta, Dr. Konstantinos Psihramis immigrated to Canada at the age of 11 with nothing but determination and a belief in the power of education. He was accepted to McGill University’s Medical School and graduated first in his class, winning the gold medal and several other prizes on graduation.
After graduating from medical school he went to Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and did residency training in urology. After completing his residency he went to the University of Toronto, where he worked/taught for 7 years before returning back to the United States. He has held various hospital positions in Virginia and more recently in Illinois, before retiring from full time practice 3 years ago.
His philanthropic work includes the Dr. Konstantinos E. Psihramis Endowed Scholarship at the American College of Greece, supporting degree-seeking students, who have the academic credentials but lack the means to pursue higher education.
For Dr. Psihramis, supporting children and families in Greece is an act of gratitude to the country that shaped him. His initial commitment to Project Hope for Greece inspired his close friend Dr. Hatchett to join him in this effort, proving that generosity often sparks generosity.
Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett’s journey began in a town of just 250 people, where he grew up with limited means during a time of racial segregation. His early life taught him resilience and empathy — values that would define both his medical career and his philanthropy.
A gifted athlete, Dr. Hatchett earned a full basketball scholarship to Marquette University, where he was a student-body leader and four-year varsity letterman. He then earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, completed his residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and finished his training at Boston Children’s Hospital / Harvard University.
His philanthropic work began in the early 1990s, when he founded the Challenge Scholarship Fund in Tallahassee, providing community college scholarships for financially challenged students. Over the years, that fund has raised more than $1 million, empowering young people who otherwise may never have had the chance to pursue higher education.
Dr. Hatchett’s compassion has since extended globally. He adopted an orphanage in Bratislava, Slovakia, supporting approximately 24 children, visiting twice yearly, and funding summer trips, holiday celebrations, and enrichment programs.
Recently, his philanthropic journey drew him toward Greece. A conversation with his close friend Dr. Psihramis, who knew of his passion for supporting vulnerable children, led him to the Greek America Foundation. He had already planned a trip to Athens, and, as he describes it, “my heart and God sent me in that direction.” What he found was a community, a purpose, and a country he now hopes to one day call home.
His monthly sustaining gift through 2026 ensures that families staying at RMHC Hellas have not just a shelter, but dignity, nourishment, and the daily support they need.
Why This Gift Matters
Families traveling from across Greece for specialized pediatric care face enormous emotional and financial stress. RMHC Hellas provides kitchens, laundry facilities, rest areas, bathrooms, and overnight suites — services that keep families close to their children while easing their burden. The Hatchett–Psihramis Apartment will serve countless families in 2026, offering stability during some of the darkest moments of their lives. Their joint gift is also a testament to something larger: that compassion crosses borders, that friendship inspires action, and that philotimo is contagious.
Statement from Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett
“Imagine running out of fuel in the darkest moment of a long journey — stranded, hungry, unsure how you’ll reach the destination ahead. Then a light appears, reminding you that none of us gets through life alone. Someone says, ‘Let me help. I have more fuel than I will ever need.’ So many families caring for sick children are living on empty. Ronald McDonald House in Athens is a vehicle for hope — but it needs fuel. When Konstantinos told me about the Greek America Foundation and the Children’s Hospital in Athens, I felt called to join him. My philanthropic journey has taken me from small towns in America to orphanages in Slovakia, and now to Greece — a place whose people have shown me such warmth that I hope to one day call it home. I invite others to join us and fuel the future for these children.”
Statement from Dr. Konstantinos Psihramis
“I came to Canada and from there the United States with nothing but hope and determination for a better future. Greece raised me, shaped me and gave me the foundation for my current morals and beliefs. Supporting children and families in Greece is not charity — it is gratitude for all that I have been blessed with as I am a firm believer in “ To whom much is given, much is required”. I am grateful to partner with my friend Dr. Hatchett and the Greek America Foundation to bring dignity and comfort to families who need it most.”
About Project Hope for Greece
Launched during the Greek economic crisis, Project Hope for Greece supports vulnerable children, families, and frontline humanitarian institutions across Greece. The project has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in critical support for medical clinics, children’s homes, soup kitchens, refugee programs, earthquake relief and emergency assistance. Contact us today to craft a gift to support vulnerable populations in Greece.
Continuing in this tradition, the gifts of Dr. Hatchett and Dr. Psihramis strengthen this work and ensures that families in Greece facing the hardest moments of their lives receive the support they deserve.