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A Charity Gala Dinner was
held at the White Palace in the presence
of TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and
Princess Katherine. The event was held
to mark ‘World Hospice and Palliative
Care Day’ and supported BELhospice’s
services in providing palliative care
for terminally ill cancer patients.
Guests were addressed by
HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, HRH
Princess Katherine,
Dr. Elaine Laycock (member of Life
Humanitarian Organisation) and Dr.
Natasa Milicevic (director of
BELhospice).
In his opening speech,
Crown Prince Alexander emphasised that
he was "pleased that we have gathered
here in the White Palace tonight to
support this significant project. It is
important to realise that opening the
first Hospice in Serbia is really
necessary. Hospices exist in almost all
European countries and it is now time
for Serbia to obtain such an institution
and provide support to the dying
patients and their families".
Princess Katherine
followed on saying "My husband and I are
trying to be very active in all aspects
so we can provide help to the people
that expect that of us and who need it
most. I can say that the cause for which
we have gathered here tonight is one of
high importance. A Hospice is not just
another health institution, it is a
movement and philosophy of life and
above all it is respect for valuable
human lives".
Dr. Elaine Laycock spoke
about her long humanitarian cooperation
and friendship with HRH Crown Princess
Katherine, and expressed her belief that
this project would be successful in
Serbia.
Dr. Natasa Milicevic said
that BELhospice is a pioneering
organisation, founded five years ago
with the specific aim of providing the
best possible palliative care for
patients with advanced malignant
illnesses and their families and to
further the development of palliative
care in Serbia.
Dr. Milicevic emphasised
that palliative care and palliative
medicine are not focused to the illness
itself but rather to the patient and
their families. It means that palliative
care does not cure an illness that is
incurable, but it instead adds a better
quality of life to the remaining days.
BELhospice has two
palliative care teams and is able to
care for more then 200 patients a year.
All the services provided by BELhospice
are free of charge for patients and
their families.
After the speeches guests
had the chance to enjoy a performance
from the musical duo "SAND” which was
then followed by dinner.
After the dinner the
Director of Hospices of Hope, Mr. Graham
Perolls, said that ‘World Hospice and
Palliative Care Day’ was being
celebrated in more than 80 countries
worldwide with the collective aim of
promoting hospice care which is suitable
to the needs of those with a terminal
illnesses, and also to raise necessary
funds so that hospices can continue with
their work. Mr. Perolls quoted Bono, the
famous singer of Irish Rock band U2, who
supported the World Hospice Day with the
following words:
"In
life you try your best to hold on tight
to your dignity, in death, sometimes
others have to hold onto it for you.
Hospice care is very close to my heart.
The hospice was available to look after
my father before he died of cancer.
These people are kinds of
angels. They escort you to the door of
your death; they are the midwives for
delivery into your next life. The
comfort and relief they provide is
exceptional, it spills over to family,
friends and colleagues.
In some countries, the
conditions of death don’t get much of a
look-in. But how we care for the sick
and dying is surely a litmus test of our
humanity. Just as we fight for equality
in life, we should fight for equality in
death.”
After presenting a film
from Hospice Casa Sperantei in Romania,
Mr. Perolls said that this type of
institution is necessary for Serbia and
asked all the guests to consider
supporting BELhospice through additional
donations so that it can be able to
continue with further development of
palliative care in Serbia.
This event would not have
been possible without the support from
HE Mr. Steven Wordsworth, the Ambassador
of the United Kingdom in Serbia, HE Mrs.
Ann Pesic, Consul of the Republic of
Ireland,
ACB, Alpine, BelMedic, EC
Harris, Eurobank EFG, European
Commission, Grand Casino,
GlaxoSmithKline, Harrison Solicitors,
Hospices of Hope, ILS Clyde & Co, King
Sturge, Life Line, McCann Erickson PR,
Merck, Metro C-C, Sto posto, Telekom
Srbija, Teri Engineering, US Steel
Srbija, as well as numerous friends of
BELhospice.
BELhospice would like to
thank Their Royal Highnesses Crown
Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess
Katherine for hosting this charity
dinner and for their personal
contribution to the promotion of the
needs of terminally ill patients and
BELhospice who cares for them.
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