CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE DONATES NEW MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY UNIT TO SERBIA

After an exceptionally challenging year, HRH Crown Princess Katherine continues her mission with even greater strength and love for the people of Serbia, donating a new mobile mammography unit of immeasurable importance in the fight against breast cancer. This valuable donation was delivered today to the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut" on a ceremony held at the White Palace in Belgrade and represents another significant step forward in saving lives, especially lives of women living in remote and hard-to-reach areas of our country.

This mission was made possible thanks to the selfless support of Mr. Richard Jankov and his organization Upward Bound Youth from Ohio, USA, who for many years have stood by HRH Crown Princess Katherine and her husband, HRH Crown Prince Alexander.

Crown Princess Katherine and her Foundation continuously emphasize the importance of prevention and appeal to all women to undergo regular check-ups, as early detection of the disease means up to a 90% chance of recovery. “We have excellent doctors, but we must also take responsibility for our own health,” emphasized the Crown Princess.

This generous donation, valued at $400,000, includes the most advanced digital mammography system SELENIA 3DIMENSIONS 3D, together with artificial intelligence–based diagnostic software for greater accuracy, as well as a specially equipped truck that enables the unit to reach even the most remote villages.

HRH Crown Princess Katherine expressed her profound gratitude to Mr. Richard Jankov for his generosity and unwavering commitment to improving women’s healthcare in Serbia. “This donation is a continuation of our mission to ensure that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to quality breast cancer screening. Early detection saves lives, and we are committed to making this vital medical service available to as many women as possible. We are incredibly thankful to our dear friend, Mr. Richard Jankov, and his team for their compassion and dedication to this noble cause.

I know very well how important this unit is and that with each day of its operation it is of great benefit to everyone. It greatly contributes to the preservation of women’s health in Serbia, but it also offers something more. It brings peace of mind, salvation, and hope. It is not only for the women examined, but also for their families, friends, and loved ones. The people of Serbia have a perfect saying – “Better to prevent than to treat”, and I could not agree more. Prevention is of the highest importance because when breast cancer is detected early, on time, it can be treated effectively, with a high chance of a positive outcome” stated HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

At the beginning of today’s ceremony, which was attended by Prof. Dr. Ferenc Vicko, State Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Prof. Dr. Verica Jovanović, Director of the “Batut” Institute, Dr. Gorana Bjelic, medical doctor and a breast cancer survivor who shared her personal story of the importance of prevention, members of the Royal Medical Board, and other guests, HRH Crown Prince Alexander welcomed all the gathered in the home of the Royal family, and expressed the Royal Couple’s great pleasure for being in Serbia again. His Royal Highness emphasized how proud he is of his wife’s efforts to help Serbia and her great contribution to the well-being of our people.

The Crown Prince shared a touching personal story: “After many months, we returned to Serbia from the United States of America, where my wife was undergoing her own fight against cancer. I am grateful to God and all the wonderful doctors who took care of her, and thanks to their efforts, support and her strength, she won that battle.

The crucial and very important point is that we have discovered the disease in time. This example itself shows how important prevention and timely detection of this vicious disease are. Although the type of carcinoma my wife fought is not the same, the principle is absolutely the same. That is why I wish this mammography unit to benefit our people and our country, to help many women spot a problem in time if it exists. And after discovering it, they go to therapy, get cured, and stay here for a long, long time, to the joy of their families and everyone who loves them.”

Prof. Dr. Vicko emphasised the great importance of this donation for the overall healthcare system of Serbia, pointing out the tremendous contribution of HRH Crown Princess Katherine for the benefit of the people of Serbia. The State Secretary also said that it is a very important fact that the delivered mammography unit is state-of-the-art technology, which will further advance the fight against breast cancer.

Prof. Dr. Vesna Jovanovic, on this occasion, presented Her Royal Highness with “Milan Jovanovic Batut” Institute’s special certificate of gratitude for this great contribution. In her speech, Professor Jovanovic said: “Women's health is of fundamental importance for the health of every society and every family. That is why it is important to say on this occasion that timely recognition of potential health risks significantly increases the chances of successful treatment.

This mobile mammogram becomes an additional support to our Institute from today and represents continuity in efforts to provide women with all the conditions for maintaining their health. It will certainly contribute to even more women performing this preventive examination and achieving the necessary diagnosis on time.

We remind all women to take care of their health and to always keep in mind that regular mammography examination is a simple step that can save a life. Timely diagnosis is the key to treatment and recovery. Together, through prevention and responsibility for health, we can do a lot!”

Thanks to this donation, even more women across Serbia will have the opportunity for early breast cancer diagnosis – and with it, the chance for life.  This initiative builds upon the previous efforts of HRH Crown Princess Katherine. In June 2009, her Foundation donated the first digital mobile mammography unit in the Balkans to the Clinical Center Niš, with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. During 13 years of daily use, this unit enabled screenings for more than 165,000 women, saving numerous lives through early diagnosis.

Due to the intensive use throughout those years, the unit became worn out in 2022. Thanks to Mr. Richard Jankov, in 2023 a new mammography device was donated and installed in the existing workstation inside the truck, ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of this vital service. This ongoing support has made it possible for women’s screenings to proceed seamlessly after more than a decade of dedicated work in the field.