By: Jelena Košutić, Executive Director of Operations, Golin Belgrade
“It’s a very special kind of fear. I’ve never felt fear like that before or since. Now, I associate that fear with the instinct for survival.” – Milenka Ćirić
“The hardest thing was telling my husband. He is diabetic and is prone to worrying. Telling him was the most difficult thing, I knew he’d worry himself sick.” – Danica Milivojčević
“I asked myself why me. I thought this was the end; I did everything by the book. I always respected my elders, I crossed streets at pedestrian crossings, played by the rules, helped others, and somewhere along the line I forgot about myself which was no good.” – Biljana Terzić
These are the words of courageous women who have fought breast cancer. Unfortunately, they are not the only cases. In Serbia, 37 000 people get cancer every year, and more than 4000 women and men contract breast cancer. Not all stories have a happy ending. But self checks and preventative testing increase the chance of early detection and successful treatment.
So what is self check? What can we do do to improve our chances. In August , the project “Stronger than fear” started in order to offer information of symptoms to look out for, to show the importance of prevention, early diagnostics, correct therapy and give support to sufferers and their families.
The project was commissioned by the association of women cancer sufferers Europe Dona Serbia and realised by Golin Belgrade.
The project was implemented using mainly digital communications due to the rise of users of social media in Serbia. By visiting www.jaciodstraha.rs visitors can download a brochure giving information on the causes of cancer, the symptoms, early detection and treatment, and oncologist’s advice. There is also a Q&A section manned by oncology experts. There is also a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/jaci odstraha/ with lot of useful information, advice and educational videos and survivors’ stories titled “My story”. There is also Instagram profile “jaciodstraha”.
A recognisable central image of the project is of a woman confronting a lion – a metaphor for facing one’s fears. Fear is the dominant emotion before and during the examination especially when the diagnosis is cancer. The underlying message is to be stronger than your fear, to be brave and to fight. Surrender is not an option. The image was created by Golin’s creative team, led by Dijana Stevanović. Unfortunately, just days after starting the project Dijana was diagnosed with breast cancer, but thanks to early diagnostics she “beat the lion”. Dijana’s misfortune, who is called “mother” by the younger members of the team, has motivated them to put more energy into the fight. One of the first activities they organised was “Run with colours” , her colleagues ran wearing pink t-shirts with a slogan “Stronger than fear”. The aim being to highlight the importance of exercise as a prevention.
During World Cancer Day on 24 of October, the monuments in Belgrade were illuminated pink.
Belgrade Fashion Week also showed its support for the project. Fashion followers had an opportunity to visit a stand offering information on breast cancer prevention; in between cat walk shows there were special performances. The original artist Pali Baša painted an image of a woman transforming into a lion. The painting was gifted to Dijana Stevanovic to remind her that she is stronger than fear. The RAD women’s football team flash mobbed one of the cat walk shows to the delight of the guests. A young ballerina, Natalija Miljevic, from the ballet school Ašhen Ataljanc gave a performance highlighting the importance of the fight against cancer.
The project has been supported by taekwondo champions Milica Mandić, Tijana Bogdanović, Vanja Stanković, and Serbian celebrities like Lena Kovačević, Mirjana Karanović, Biljana Krstić, Rada Đurić, Tijana Dapčević, Kristina Radenković, Marina Tadić and many others. These women were photographed wearing pink boxing gloves or T shirts with the slogan “Stronger than fear”.
Fighting the lion continues. Prevention against fear, knowledge against fear, support against fear. Because together we are stronger than fear!
“When you ask me now what cancer is, I say OK, it is an obstacle, a fight, nothing more, nothing less.” – Milenka Ćirić
“I consider myself a winner” – Danica Milivojčević
“I feel much stronger. I beat death, what’s the worst that can happen to me, the same illness again, I will fight it again, no surrender. “– Biljana Terzić
“I am Dijana and I am stronger than fear” – Dijana Stevanović
