HRH CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE’S STATEMENT REGARDING WORLD CANCER DAY

On the World Cancer Day I would like to draw your attention to the fact that cancer is preventable and by having regular medical check-ups, screening, prevention of risk factors and vaccination programs, which are of the outmost importance, this disease can be successfully avoided or cured. By taking good care of one’s health, at the same time one is taking care of one’s loved ones. Good health is necessary for a better life and the wellbeing of your families.

Ever since my humanitarian Foundation in Belgrade was established in 2001, it has been active in raising awareness on the importance of preventing, treating and fighting cancer, as well as providing medical equipment for cancer treatment and this is one of its most important goals for the future .

In 2019 the total value of medical equipment donated by my Foundation reached over $1,700,000.

In cooperation with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in New York, a mammography machine worth $57,500 was donated to Clinical Centre Nis to support the work of a state of the art digital mammography machine valued over $300,000 and mobile unite digital mammography valued over $750,000, which were donated in the previous years and since then examined more than 100.000 women all around Serbia. In cooperation with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, we have donated 8 infusion pumps worth over $15,000 to the Institute of Oncology of Vojvodina.

Princess Katherine’s Foundation also delivered a new ultrasound machine worth 73.000 EUR to the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, as well as new medical equipment worth $27,000 used for genetic testing of the hereditary predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer.

Thanks to Mr. Lukic, CEO of Toyota Srbija, who was willing to help my Foundation, an urgent need for a vehicle needed for Cacak General Hospital was fulfilled with a donation worth 10.000 EUR. We reacted very quickly and I am pleased that I was able to deliver this valuable donation that is used for the transport of patients from Cacak and the surrounding area for chemotherapy and dialysis to the hospital.

In 2019 our country started the significant tradition with the first-ever organized “Race for the Cure“ event in Belgrade, under my auspices, empowering and raising awareness of women and society in the fight against breast cancer, as well as the memory of those who have lost the battle with this disease.

Continued education is crucial for our doctors and I am proud that I got the chance to be Patron and open an important event, the 56th Cancer Conference Week in Belgrade, as well as host two lecturers from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Prof. Dr. Hedvig Hricak Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Prof. Dr. Heiko Schoder, Chief of Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who selflessly shared their knowledge with our doctors.

My humanitarian Foundation in Belgrade works with Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York and MD Anderson in Houston Texas, that are amongst the leading United States cancer centers, to provide specialized trainings for our radiologists and oncologists so that they can have the latest knowledge. With great effort, during the last five years my Foundation sent more than twenty Serbian doctors to complete training. The Director for Radiology and Endoscopy Nursing Services at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Matthew Kennedy will give a lecture at the first time Serbian Diaspora Nurses Conference, which will take place 23 – 25 April this year in Belgrade.

We are also working on education for our doctors and connecting them with colleagues from the diaspora by organizing the Serbian Medical Diaspora Conference for the 11th year in a row, the Oncology Conferences every other year and for the first time in 2020 the Serbian Diaspora Nurses Conference.

I wish to emphasize my admiration and gratitude to all our medical professionals in Serbia for their extraordinary work and contribution. I hope that we will all continue to work together for the ultimate benefit of our citizens’ health.

HRH Crown Princess Katherine