LITTLE DEJANA COMES TO THE PALACE

Belgrade, 14TH March 2007 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine in the presence of Prof. Dr. Ida Jovanovic warmly received little Dejana Krajacic and her parents and sister at The Royal Palace.

In December 2006, little Dejana contracted a heart infection which hit the aorta and critically damaged the left heart valve. The disease was diagnosed in Sombor, where Dejana was initially treated, and she was immediately transferred to the University Children’s Hospital in Belgrade where she was treated with the highest doses of antibiotics. The infection was spreading fast and the threat of complications was increasing every minute. She desperately needed a new valve in her heart.

When Princess Katherine met Dejana on Christmas day while visiting the children’s hospital she had only a few days left in her life. Her situation was serious.

Deeply touched with her condition Princess Katherine made an urgent appeal and brought one of the world’s top heart surgeons Dr. Afkendios Kalangos in an emergency private aircraft to Belgrade.

Dejana was successfully operated on 19 January and after two weeks she fully recovered and was released from the hospital.

“I can’t express the joy that I feel when I see Dejana alive and well here with us today. This is one of the best days in my life. Life is very precious and saving a life is a very emotional thing. I knew that little Dejana had to survive and I was determined to save her life. I warmly thank Dr. Kalangos, Dr. Ida Jovanovic and everyone at the Tirshova Hospital; it was a great team working together. I wish little Dejana and her family all the very best, they will always be in my heart and I thank God for this great miracle” – emphasized Crown Princess Katherine.

During the reception a conference call took place to Dr. Kalangos, who thanked Their Royal Highnesses for giving him the opportunity to save the life of little Dejana. He promised he will continue helping the children of Serbia.

Their Royal Highnesses gave Dejana a special gift, a Cinderella carriage for her favourite toy, a little horse she received from Princess Katherine on Christmas day.