The Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia today received a valuable sequencer of the latest generation, which until now no health institution in our country had. It is a device which has the ability to test cancer genes. To purchase this machine the Foundation of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine allocated $60,000, Astra Zeneka $30,000 and Hemofarm Foundation $25,000 dollars. This sequencer allows simultaneous analysis of multiple genes and multiple samples of patients, which enables efficient testing of hereditary predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer and significantly shortens the time of analysis.
The delivery of this important and valuable machine to the Institute for Oncology and Radiology, officially made by HRH Crown Princess Katherine, was attended by Ms. Katarina Conrad, Ms. Biljana Latinovic, director of the Crown Princess Katherine Foundation, Mrs. Biljana Naumovic director of Astra Zeneca Mrs. Suzana Djordjevic director of Hemofarm Foundation and Professor Radan Dzodic, director of the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia who officially accepted the machine on behalf of the Institute.
Professor Radan Dzodic pointed out that the Ministry of Health took comprehensive action to upgrade the technical part of health institutions in Serbia, and today’s donation is very helpful. In addition, professor Džodić said: “This is a great day for Serbian medicine, especially for oncology, because the Foundation of Crown Princess Katherine, with the assistance of Astra Zeneca and Hemofarm Foundation, has managed to donate to the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia the machine for testing cancer”.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine said: “I am very proud today that we are able to donate such a machine. I hope that many women are going to be examined using this machine and that many lives will be saved. We are going to make sure to provide as much necessary material for the check-ups, and thus to enable this machine, which is unique in Serbia, to work and last longer. The cooperation between Hemofarm Foundation and Astra Zeneca with my humanitarian foundation in Belgrade and Lifeline New York Humanitarian Organization whose patron I am, is an example of unity and good practice which should be followed by all humanitarian organizations to quickly and efficiently assist the improvement of our health care system so that all the citizens of Serbia have a chance for more efficient and better treatment “- said Crown Princess Katherine.
The Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine has also provided training for two doctors in Germany with Professor Reiss from Tubingen Clinic, to work with this machine, so that it’s functioning will be easier.
Ms. Suzana Djordjevic director of Hemofarm Foundation said: “I thank the partners who have initiated and participated in this donation. I am sure that this machine is going to help a large numbers of patients, to some as a relief, knowing they do not carry the genetic load, and to some as a warning to do everything to prevent illness. We want to decrease the infamous statistics of cancer incidence, especially in women, and the first step is just increasing awareness of prevention, through accessible examinations and adequate medical care”.
Ms. Biljana Naumovic director of Astra Zeneca said: “It is a great honor and pleasure to be part of such great beginning, because the Institute is thanks to this machine beginning the fight against cancer. I think this machine is a step forward towards the successful treatment of women in Serbia, because it will allow timely testing”.
The Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (IORS) is the largest centre for the treatment and research of cancer in Serbia with about six thousand newly diagnosed cancer patients annually. The Institute currently has all diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for breast cancer. In one year, breast cancer is diagnosed in about 4,600 women, out of which about 1,200 are detected at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.
