October is observed around the world as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raising awareness of the importance of prevention, regular checkups and early detection. This year, HRH Crown Princess Katherine once again marks the month with a message of hope, encouragement and solidarity. October is also an opportunity to support every woman and every family affected by breast cancer.
“October is the month when we speak especially about breast cancer, but the message of prevention and early detection should be heard throughout the year. I encourage every woman to take care of her health, speak to her doctor and have regular check-ups and screenings appropriate for her age and individual needs,” said Crown Princess Katherine.
Her Royal Highness also stresses that breast cancer screening should be available to all women, regardless of where they live or their circumstances. “Every woman should have the opportunity to detect the disease at the earliest possible stage. No woman should miss out on an examination that could save her life because she lives far from a healthcare facility or does not have access to the medical care she needs,” the Crown Princess said.
For more than a decade, the Crown Princess Katherine Foundation has worked to improve access to early breast cancer detection in Serbia through donations of medical equipment, mobile screening, education and awareness campaigns.
In June 2009, with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Foundation donated the first mobile digital mammography unit to the Clinical Centre Niš. After more than a decade of intensive use, a new mobile mammography unit was donated to the same institution in 2023. Through this initiative, over 200,000 women across Serbia have been examined.
In September 2025, the Crown Princess Katherine Foundation donated another modern mobile mammography unit to the Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”. The unit serves women across Serbia, particularly those living in remote and hard-to-reach areas and through this initiative, over 7000 women across Serbia have been examined.
Alongside its donations of medical equipment, the Foundation has worked for many years to raise awareness of breast cancer prevention and early detection. In 2008 and 2009, it organized medical conferences on modern diagnostic methods, and in 2009 it launched the “Pink Ribbon Shopping Month” campaign. Over the years, the Foundation has also supported the “Serbia Against Cancer” campaign, as well as medical seminars and programmes organized in cooperation with Serbian and international medical experts.
In October 2025, the Crown Princess Katherine Foundation launched the national campaign “Detect Early, Save a Life” in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”, under the patronage of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. During the campaign, three mobile digital mammography units travelled to cities across Serbia, providing preventive screenings to more than 4,000 women.
“Breast cancer affects women, their families and entire communities. But it is also an area where knowledge, prevention and modern technology, together with compassion and solidarity, can make a real difference. I want every woman to know that she is not alone and that taking care of her health is an act of strength,” said Crown Princess Katherine.
The Crown Princess Katherine Foundation in Belgrade continues to work with healthcare institutions, international medical centres and humanitarian organizations to make modern medical knowledge, technology and healthcare available to as many people as possible.
Her Royal Highness encourages women to make their health a priority, to learn which screenings are recommended for their age and health condition, and to speak to their doctor if they have any concerns or notice any changes. “Please do not postpone your examination. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Early detection can save lives, and each of us can help this message reach more people. Together, we can bring more hope, knowledge and better healthcare to women everywhere,” concluded Crown Princess Katherine.
October reminds us that awareness matters, prevention matters, early detection matters, and every woman matters.
