CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE DONATES NEW MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY UNIT

Belgrade, 28 November 2023 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine officially delivered today a very important donation of a new Mobile Mammography Unit to the University Clinical Centre Niš. The delivery was done in the presence and with the support of HE Prof. Dr. Danica Grujičić, the Minister of Health of Serbia, in front of the White Palace in Belgrade. On this occasion, Minister Grujičić presented the Special Charter of Gratitude to HRH Crown Princess Katherine and her Foundation, for several decades of dedicated cooperation and all the contributions to the healthcare system of Serbia.

The total value of the donation is USD 210,000 and providing this life-saving equipment was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Richard Jankov, Executive Director, and his non-profit organization “Upward Bound Youth“ from Ohio, United States, who recognized the high significance of Crown Princess and her Foundation’s efforts to support the needs of the Serbian people.

Minister Grujičić said on this occasion: "I want to highlight the importance of the Foundation of our dear Karađorđevićs, which has existed for many years and has done a lot for health institutions", reminding that the help provided is not directed only to health care, but to all vulnerable categories of the population. Her Excellency emphasized that the importance of early detection of breast cancer is great and called on colleagues "to stimulate women to come for mammography as often as possible because early detected breast cancer is an absolutely curable disease." "Your Foundation is an example of the Royal Family's responsible attitude towards the citizens of Serbia and an example of active love, respect for their needs and providing help to those who need it the most" was stated in the Charter of Gratitude that the Minister presented to the Crown Princess today.

Crown Princess Katherine’s Foundation donated the first Digital Mammography Mobile Unit in the Balkans, thanks to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in June 2009. From that time until May 2022 over 160,000 women were examined and many lives were saved thanks to early detection. As a result of 13 years of almost daily use of the digital mammography unit, this machine has worn out, despite the Foundation’s efforts to repair it. Now the new machine that is successfully installed on the Working Station within the truck, that were donated earlier by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, will continue reaching even the most distant villages for the women to have preventive examinations.

“I was very worried when I heard that the Mobile Mammography Unit which we donated in 2009 cannot operate anymore. That is why I am very happy and thrilled now because we are delivering a new unit of this kind to Clinical Centre Niš. I am very grateful to our dear friend Mr. Richard Jankov and his team who so generously helped us in making this possible.

I know very well how important this unit is and that with each day it works it brings much good to everybody. It contributes tremendously to the preservation of the health of the women of Serbia, but it also gives something more. It brings a sense of calmness and peace, but also salvation and hope. It is not only for the women examined, but it also includes their families, friends, loved ones as well.

People of Serbia have one very good saying – “Better to prevent than to treat“, and I could not agree more. Prevention is of the highest significance because when breast cancer is detected early, on time, it can be treated effectively, with a high chance for a good outcome of the disease. We have great doctors, but we need to help them ourselves by being responsible for our health.

It is very important that this unit can reach even the most distant places. This way, we are not waiting for the women to come for the examination, we are bringing the examination to them. I am thrilled because the First Mobile Mammography Unit is operational again and able to continue with its important mission, for the benefit of the patients and medical professionals”, stated HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

Prof. Dr. Zoran Perisic, the Director of the Clinical Centre Nis said that “the value of this donation must be measured by the number of saved lives. Thanks to this really important and valuable donation of a new device, the Radiology Centre of our health institution, to which almost 2.5 million residents from the entire region gravitate, will certainly be able to continue with the regular screening program unhindered so that all our patients will have the possibility to receive one of the most important diagnostic procedures for the early detection of breast cancer at the highest level.“

Together with the Royal Couple of Serbia and the Minister, the delivery was also attended by Mrs. Dragana Sotirovski, The Mayor of Nis, Prof. Dr. Zoran Perisic, The Head of Clinical Centre Nis, Prof. Dr. Dragan Stojanov, The Head of the Radiology Department at Clinical Centre Nis, Prof. Dr. Verica Jovanovic, Director of the Institute for Public Health “Batut“, Dr Mirjana Uzunović-Mako, the Republic Health Insurance Fund, Mr. Momčilo Mirić, executive director of Tim Co d.o.o, Members of the Royal Medical Board, and Ms. Ana Dornik, President of the “Women for Women”, an association of ladies who survived breast cancer. 

 Photos 9 and 11 were made the day before the official delivery, once the unit arrived at the Royal Complex.