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Mutapova 12, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
tel: (+381 11) 344 8755, fax: (+381 11) 344 8757,
e-mail: office@rebracafond.org

Bank accounts:
Banca Intesa : 160-257155-52
Vojvođanska banka: 355-1112498-16
Registration number: 17645374

The Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization was established in May 2006, and began operations in September 2006, and achieved all of its short-term goals for the first year:

1. Breast cancer is not a taboo theme in Serbia anymore – it is something people talk about;
2. Official support from the Ministry of Health and the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of the Republic of Serbia has been received for all activities of the Charity Organization;
3. In just September and October of 2006 over 50 ads about the importance of self-exam in the prevention of breast cancer have been published in Serbian printed media;
4. 300 000 educational brochures on self-exams have been distributed;
5. Over 30 interviews were aired in Serbian electronic media with the Charity Organization founder, Ms. Katarina Rebraca;
6. The Charity organization has collected 400,000 euros since September 2006 for our main goals: raising awareness campaigns, first clinical breast check-ups for over 800 women, reconstruction and equipping of 750m2 of the ambulatory ward at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia and begun collecting funds to purchase the first digital mamographs for oncology institutes in Novi Sad, Nis and Belgrade

As the Charity Organization managed to attract large scale media attention and initiated the breast cancer issue in Serbia, it is of vital importance to continually inform the public about the progress of the Charity Organization and improvement of the current situation in the field of early detection and breast cancer treatment in Serbia.

Some of the main activities of the Charity Organization since its foundation:

1. The Charity Organization participated in Women Secret women’s marathon at Ada Ciganlija two years in a row as co-organizers with Belgrade Marathon, where for the first time nearly 4,000 women ran or walked for a common goal – solidarity in the fight against breast cancer. On both occasions over 3,500 self-exam brochures were handed out.
2. The Charity organized two Charity Rose Balls at Hyatt Regency Hotel in 2006 and 2007. This is standard practice in the western world, since October is the international month in the fight against breast cancer. On the first occasion we collected funds to organize 400 free examinations at the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia during several weekends throughout the year – as a result, breast cancer at the initial stage was discovered in several dozen women. The second Rose Ball was organized to collect funds for the equipping of 750m2 of the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.
3. In collaboration with ROCHE pharmaceutical company and Orange Studio, the Charity Organization reproduced the international Breast Friends exhibition of photographs which depicts famous Serbian survivors and friends. The exhibition was inaugurated in Belgrade on February 14, 2007, and will visit all major cities in Serbia in the following period, so that as many women as possible realize that breast cancer can happen to anyone, and that if discovered on time a woman can live a healthy and happy life.
4. On women’s day, March 8, 2007 we organized a Women’s day Health Bazaar on the Republic Square in Belgrade – where we presented various programs for women – healthy living program, nutrition, physical activity, music program, flower exhibition, education on early breast cancer detection and many more. In 2008, we repeated this event, but on a larger scale – we included 4 primary health centers which handed out information on their prevention centers and performed mini check ups on several hundred women.
5. The Charity Organization completed the 15 minutes that can save your life campaign in the spring of 2007, which promotes self-exams. From the very beginning we wanted to influence positively on the social and cultural attitude towards breast cancer in our society, and also face stigmatization that certainly responds not only to breast cancer but also to many other illnesses. Our campaign for 2007 was voted the most effective campaign of the year.
6. The Charity Organization established cooperation with the National Theatre of Serbia, which donated a share of their sold tickets to the Organization.
7. In September 2007, on our first anniversary of operations, the Organization launched the new campaign for 2007/2008: You are Unique! in which every woman will be able to identify herself since it addresses women in all their various roles: mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, girlfriend, grandmother, woman…The aim of this campaign is to promote wide scale self check-ups.
8. The Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization was also registered in New York in September 2007. On September 29, we organized a gala charity dinner in New York, to collect funds for the equipping of the ambulatory ward at the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. During the visit to New York, the Charity Organization also organized 2 visits to hospitals for the delegation from Belgrade (Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital and Vassar Brothers Hospital – Dyson Cancer Care Center). During these visits, the possibility of equipment donations and education of medical personnel was discussed.
9. Belgrade Fashion Week (BFW) joined the efforts of our Charity Organization and hosted 3 Canadian designers from Toronto Fashion Week, who came at the request of the Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization. For the first time in Serbia, the fashion industry joined efforts in the fight against breast cancer. BFW draws huge media coverage and used this to promote the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
10. October is the international month in the fight against breast cancer, and due to the efforts of the Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization in the past year, this October many people and institutions joined us wholeheartedly in the fight against breast cancer – we organized Hair Friends, in which 11 Belgrade salons styled women’s hair free of charge, while donations were collected for the Organization; students of all Belgrade fine arts faculties donated works for an auction in aid of the Organization, Belgrade club Stefan Braun collected funds for the Organization every Monday in October, etc.
11. The Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization has intensified its activities in the Autonomous Region of Vojvodina in cooperation with the Executive Council. A gala dinner to collect funds for the Institute of Oncology of Sremska Kamenica was organized in Novi Sad in December; the Breast Friends exhibition will visit several cities in Vojvodina; the Charity Organization will have a stand in the Health Bazaar which is organized by the Executive Council of Vojvodina and which visits a different city or village every week. We are also cooperating with local and regional municipalities in Vojvodina to enable them to function as preventive centers by helping them acquire the necessary equipment and trained radiologists.
12. Joint project with the Ministry of Health of Serbia - The reconstruction and equipping of the first floor of 750m2 ambulatory ward at the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. In this ward over 800 women are examined and treated daily in less than adequate conditions. The works are scheduled to begin late april, and to last for several months.
13. February 14 2008 – Cooking with Love at the Hyatt Regency Hotel – 5 teams of 3 VIPs had 1½ hours to prepare several courses. Their dishes were judged by a panel of magazine editors. Journalists and TV presenters as well as celebrities participated in the event to assure large media coverage. Money was collected for our next project, acquiring the first digital mamograph in Serbia, from companies who gave a donation to participate in the event and received media coverage while being associated with a good cause (food supplier, water, juice, crockery, spices, etc...)
14. March 8 2008 – Women’s Health Bazaar at Republic Square. The Katarina Rebraca Charity Organization traditionally organizes a health bazaar on Women’s day to promote a healthy lifestyle, self check ups, nutrition, fitness, etc. 200 women who visited the Health Bazaar received vouchers for first clinical breast check-ups at the Institute. Four Belgrade primary health centers participated in the bazaar – handing out informative brochures on their prevention centers, and by organizing mini systematic check-ups for several hundred women.
15. May 31 2008 – Hemofarm Logica Women’s Sport’s and Health Day at Ada Ciganlija – The Charity Organization held a sport’s and health day for women to promote a healthy lifestyle. Free fitness classes were held all day, nutritional advice was given, prizes, etc. This manifestation was part of the 4th Belgrade Sport Fest.