„MY PAEDIATRICIAN” MAGAZINE, SPRING 2007

INTERVIEW

MOTHER BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE

Dejana Krajačić is a five year old girl from Apatin who got endocarditis (a heavy infection of the aortal valves). Everything in this story is about how some strange circumstances can lead to happiness even in the gravest misfortune. The happiness came with Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic, who saw Dejana during her visit to the Children’s Hospital in Tirsova, on Christmas. Having found out the condition that the girl was in, she selflessly took action. Princess Katherine invited her friend Prof. Dr. Afksendios Kalangos, who managed to obtain the donored tissue through his organization „A heart for All“. On Epiphany, 19 January, the Professor came to Belgrade, operated on Dejana, who has since successfully recovered and is now joyfully playing with her friends. This was one of the reasons we went to The Royal Palace and spoke to this wonderful woman about her humanitarian work.

The Lifeline Humanitarian Organization was founded in 1993 in London by Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic, with the objective to provide help to all those who needed it, regardless of religion or ethnic origin. During the past years, her great effort and endeavour has resulted in providing massive quantities of humanitarian aid. In Belgrade, in the beginning of August 2001 she founded the Foundation of HRH Princess Katherine, with the task to continue and expand the good tradition of humanitarian activities. On 27 January this year, Princess Katherine received the special St. Sava award for humanitarian work and endeavour. The award has certainly come to the right place.

HOW ARE YOUR HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS DEVELOPED AND REALIZED?

Our Foundation has offices in New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, Athens and Belgrade. The Foundation unifies all existing humanitarian activities in the country and aims at helping everybody, in coordination with the NGOs – children above all, the elderly, healthcare and social care institutions, the most vulnerable categories of the population. Currently we are working on several projects. One is the making of the Bone Marrow Bank. There are more and more children who are ill with cancer. In order for the treatment to be successful, among other things that are needed is the Bone Marrow Bank. I have made contacts with friends in the UK, and I sincerely hope that our country will have such a Bank. The other project is about improving our heart surgery conditions for children. It is often necessary to perform a heart operation outside the country, mostly because of the lack of adequate equipment, and not because our doctors lack the talent. Our doctors are very talented and with a bit more training to apply the latest techniques, there would be less need for the children to go abroad to have their operations. My idea is to invest the money so that our doctors can have their training abroad and so that they can visit foreign medical centres, in order to save more lives of children in this country. Our work is very solid. Our people have a lot of promises, without solid results. That is why we do whatever we promise. Or, we speak little but we do a lot. For me, it is a great privilege that I can help the people in our country through my husband. And when they thank me, I feel the need to thank them for giving me the opportunity to help them. My wish to help people is so great, that my husband often gets angry with me, saying: “You can not help people while they are sleeping”. And I know that, but when it is night time here, it is day time in California and in Chicago, and people are working there, so I want to be awake to finish every part of the job.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE INSTITUTIONS THAT NEED HELP?

There is the Royal Medical Board that evaluates which institutions need help more urgently than others. This Board has specialised doctors in many areas: paediatricians, oncologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists and others. All the hospitals in Serbia and not just in Belgrade, are sending us a report about the conditions in their hospitals: how many doctors they have and of what specialties, which kind of equipment they have, and what they can do. On the basis of this, the Board analyses reports and reaches a decision about providing help. We try to provide help evenly to everyone, but the help is needed by all. The hospitals know that we are very active, so they do not restrain themselves from asking for help, and we then try to meet their requests as much as possible. I deliver aid based on the decisions of the Royal Medical Board and my Foundation.

WHAT IS THE NICEST THING IN THIS BUSINESS FOR YOU?

The results! Seeing Dejana alive. Seeing somebody whose life you have saved, even though you are not a doctor. That is a blessing. It can not be bought. It can be only felt. Whole-heartedly.

DO YOU FEEL THAT HELPING OTHERS IS A PRIVILEGE?

It is a great privilege. Emotions are on the move when I see how much faith and trust people have in me. I must admit that I am surprised. I have been doing this job for over 15 years. I took the convoys many times to Bosnia, we have been living in Serbia for almost six years, and it is amazing how much people have started to trust me in such a short time. I am very happy and grateful for that. I want the people to know that they are not alone, that they can count on us, that we do not make promises, but rather we work. We are only interested in human life and it is our responsibility. Human life, living and the general good of the people – that is most important for me and my husband. We also want young people to be educated, to have opportunities in life, and that is why my husband has the Foundation for Education and Culture. This Foundation, among other things, provides scholarships, and has opened a Career Centre. People in our country are not demanding. All they want is a normal life.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION THAT YOU CAN’T HELP SOMEBODY?

I never give up. I believe in God and in miracles. I believe in the strength that God gives me to help others. When you want to do good things, God gives you the strength to feel good. I think that people without energy are in fact those who are not trying to help. The energy does not come first. First comes the aid. First one gives and does not take. And when you give, you do not expect anything in return, because if you give something from the bottom of your heart, you will be rewarded, and that should be enough. If you do something good and expect something in return, then it is not sincere and it is better to do nothing at all, because in this dishonest way you can make more damage than good. The opportunity to give help is a gift of God, and people should not abuse it. I am sure that there is not a single person in the world who can not help. Some things can not be paid with money. A smile does not cost anything. A few kind words to a patient do not cost anything. There are so many things that can not be paid with money, but that mean so much to the other person. People who say – I wish I could help, but I do not know how to do it, are not sincere, because, if they looked around they could see that the world needs them. Maybe they are not ready to assume that kind of responsibility. People should not be living in an illusion; they have to be realistic, honest, caring, and loving. Nobody should forget that we have come to this world to spend a very limited time here, so every life is a mission. We must not waste time. People should be asking how they can help others, every day, and God will help them, because we are his hands on the Earth. People are waiting to be happy, and at the same time, they are not doing anything good. You can not be happy if you do not make others happy. You can not be happy if you just think about yourself for the whole day. Some people become their own worst enemies.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO OUR READERS?

People must be aware that their behaviour is reflected on their children. All parents must remember that the next generation of our people is in their hands. What our country will look like in the next 10 or 20 years depends mainly on the parents. Observe the reactions of your children, their behaviour, and invest in them. Teach them to value their life and the lives of others, to respect people who do good deeds, to be full of self-esteem, to respect their parents and grandparents, and to love them. Enjoy life with your children.

More information about the HRH Princess Katherine Foundation can be found at the internet site: www.lifeline.org

ANTRFILE 1

A MOTHER IS JUST A MOTHER

I feel like a mother in our country. I am aware that, when a child is in the hospital, every minute is important. When a child goes to the hospital, every mother must feel safe that the child will be provided with the proper medicines, that there is the needed equipment, that her child is surrounded by the best doctors, because a mother is just a mother, and she only wants her child to be well. And I, as every mother, must find a way to help our children.

ANTRFILE 2

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

We should be working more on preventive medicine. We spend a lot of money on the consequence rather than the cause, and many illnesses could be prevented if they are acted on sooner. Preventive medicine has an advantage, and that is that the consequences and the risks of illnesses would be much smaller. My idea is to create mobile teams who would visit primary schools and check the children’s eyesight, hearing, and speech. There are many ideas, but there is not so much time. Unfortunately, my day only lasts 24 hours, and I would need many more hours.

ANTRFILE 3

GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDFATHERS

I am very attached to elderly people. Grandmothers and grandfathers are very important in the growing up of children. They are sincere and carry within their beings, our tradition and culture, which they must pass on to younger generations. Children should spend as much time as possible with their grandmothers and grandfathers, especially when parents are preoccupied with work. The children can learn a lot from their grandparents, as much as they can learn from their parents, if not more. Grandmothers and grandfathers have more time, love, knowledge and patience.

MOJ PEDIJATAR, proleće 2007