Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine along with Lifeline New York, hosted the 8th Annual Benefit Luncheon at The Liederkranz Foundation in New York to raise funds for the medical equipment for children’s hospitals in Serbia. The guest of honour was Dr. Bojana Jankovic Weatherly, Lifeline New York Board member and a Serbian doctor who didn’t forget her homeland and who is helping Serbia together with HRH Crown Princess Katherine. Their Royal Highnesses were accompanied by TRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia and Prince Dusan and Princess Valerie of Yugoslavia and were graced by the presence of His Grace the Right Reverend Irinej Bishop of Eastern America the Serbian Orthodox Church.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander addressed the guests at the luncheon and then HRH Crown Princess Katherine thanked her husband and everyone involved with the Lifeline Foundation:

“My humanitarian efforts for Serbia started 25 years ago by providing medical equipment for the University Children Hospital in Belgrade. Children, their health and their well-being are in the very core of all my humanitarian activities, as well as the activities of my Foundation in Belgrade and all Lifeline humanitarian organizations whose patron I am. There is a very difficult situation with children hospitals in Serbia and they need to be equipped properly, much better than now, in order for our doctors and nurses to provide appropriate care for our sick children. Our children, our people and our heroic doctors and nurses are waiting for us to help them, and I am very grateful to all of you who came today to help”, said HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

Humanitarian auction items were donated by one of the world best tennis players Novak Djokovic, water polo national team of Serbia, as well as one of the famous fashion and art designers in Serbia – Maruska. The opera singer Dimitrie Lazich and the pianist Djordje Nesic performed a beautiful music programme, and for the refreshments there was Zvonko Bogdan wine from Serbia.

The Annual Benefit Luncheon had many important attendees, including Jerry Hall, famous American model and actress, Mr. Michael Weatherly, American actor, producer and director, as well as the Lifeline New York Board members: Mr. David Hryck, Chairman, Mrs. Susan Gutfreund, Vice President, Mrs. Cheri Kaufman, Vice President, Mr. Slobodan Bekvalac, Mrs. Dragana Djuknic, Mr. Kyle Wool, Mrs. Bojana Jankovic Weatherly and Mr. Peter Pizzino.

Lifeline New York honoured Dr. Bojana Jankovic Weatherly who was born in Serbia and immigrated to Canada at the age of thirteen. Upon graduating from medical school, she moved to the United States, where she completed residency training and built a successful career. She has been constantly making efforts to help Serbia together with her famous husband Mr. Michael Weatherly.

Lifeline New York works directly with the HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation in Belgrade to provide critically needed humanitarian aid to the people of Serbia regardless of religion or ethnic origin, with a focus on aiding physically and mentally handicapped children, orphans and working with medical institutions to improve health care throughout the country.