A thirteen year old boy Stefan Stajić is one of the 1200 children cared for by “Naša Srbija” and one of the 20.000 children who remained without one or both parents during the past wars on our territories. Stefan’s father Tomislav was kiled by the terorists in 1999 in Kosovo and Metohia and the same year Stefan and his mother Slavica left from Djakovica and now living in Nis. For several years back, Stefan is included in aid programs of “Naša Srbija” which are based on the regular financial donations and his participation in the School of Friendship “Naša Srbija”. Stefan had great successe in karate and basketball, he is good student and loved friend.

During his return from the fishing with friends, in April 26 2007, Stefan suffered severe electric shock due to accident with high-tension power of 25.000 volts line and he received burns to 66 per cent of his body. He was emergency hospitalized at the Military Medical Academy (MMA) in Belgrade, where the doctors have done everything to save boy’s life. The whole medical staff of the Military Medical Academy, headed by the general-major prof. Dr Miodrag Jevtić, paid the biggest attention to Stefan, not only in the medical but every other sense, which was specially significant for Stefan’s mother Slavica in difficult moments of struggle for life of her son. During Stefan’s medical treatment on the Military Medical Academy it had been performed seven surgical interventions of the skin transplantation and on the head of the team that took care of Stefan was Prof. Dr. Jefta Kozarski.

“Naša Srbija” was in continuous contact with Stefan’s mother and with doctors from the Military Medical Academy, it has been visited child and watched for the process of his medical treatment. “Naša Srbija” also appealed to the public for blood donations which was necessary for numerous and almost everyday transplantation of donor’s skin. Stefan’s life was permanent vitally endangered the treatment requires various surgeries. The infection caused by bacteria has been daily compromising vital functions and exhausting Stefan’s body.

Watching for Stefan’s condition, and by the consultations wit doctors from the Military Medical Academy, “Naša Srbija” has started the action to accelerate Stefan’s recovery. Regarding the fact that Serbia has no the method which will reduce the number of the surgeries, the only possibility for Stefan was to continue his medical treatment in the Center for Burns and Plastic surgery in Palermo which is the World Health Organization and United Nations the referent center for burns and plastic surgery.
This center exert the technology of in vitro culture of keratinocyte by which within two or three weeks enough cells are to be produced in laboratory environment from a small piece of the patient’s skin in order to cover one square meter of the body surface area. Such technology could significantly accelerate the process of covering the wound surface areas by skin autografts and reduce bacteria infection risk.

The doctors from the Military Medical Academy made contacts with doctors from the Center for Burns and Plastic surgery in Palermo headed by its director dr. Francesco Conte. This Clinic admitted Stefan for a treatment on the free-of-charge basis, whereas the expenses were borne by the International Association for Humanitarian Medicine (IAHM) Fund, headed by Prof. Dr. Michele Masellis, who has been supervising Stefan’s treatment from the very beginning.

In collaboration with doctors from the Center for Burns and Plastic surgery in Palermo and the doctors from the Military Medical Academy, “Naša Srbija”  started a procedure so Stefan could be off the medical treatment in Italy. This action was supported by Mrs. Tatjana Tadić, the wife of the president of Serbia, who is the patron of several projects of “Naša Srbija”. With help of Mrs. Tadić, thanks to understanding of the Ambassador of Italy Alessandro Merola and the support of the Embassy of Italy in Belgrade Stefan’s medical escort has gotten visas in the shortest time and the whole action was accelerated. On July 16th 2007 Stefan went to Palermo. The company „Air Pink“donated Stefan’s trip to Palermo with his medical escort. Stefan’s mother Slavica as well as the doctors from the Military Medical Academy traveled with Stefan.

Stefan has been on the medical treatment in Palermo for five months and during his stay in this hospital it was applied the best method in the treatment of the burns with great attention and care of the whole medical staff and dr. Francesco Conte who has personally performed several surgeries of Stefan’s skin produced in laboratory environment. Doctors from the centre in Palermo have done all planned surgeries and they are satisfied with its efficiency and the recovery process.
The treatment with such technology enabled reorganization of the severe Stefan’s wounds in the shortest possible time and to improve Stefan’s general health condition so he could be returned to Serbia and continue further medical treatment on the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade till his total recovery.

“Naša Srbija” has started the procedure of Stefan’s return to Serbia and the boy arrived in Belgrade on December 21st by the plane of the “Air Pink” company.

The president of “Naša Srbija” Mladjan Djordjević and the doctors from the Military Medical Academy Dr. Jefta Kozarski and Dr. Duško Jovanović anestesiologist went to Palermo to escort Stefan on his return home. By this occasion, Mladjan Djordjević handed in the awards of “Naša Srbija” and the letters of the deepest gratitude from the President of Serbia Boris Tadić who attended the process of Stefan’s recovery with special care from the very beginning.

Stefan’s suffer deeply touched the whole our public that showed sincere empathy and lots of people gave different kinds of support and aid to Stefan and his mother in the most difficult moments. First donors of skin were Stefan’s uncle Tomislav Jović and Lidija Mitić, mother of Stefan’s friend. Stefan’s friends, students of the sixth grade of the Primary school “Radoje Domanović” in Niš, immediately started the action and appeal the public for skin donors, blood donations and financial support for the medical treatment for their friend.

In this action for helping Stefan were also included the policeman Žarko Stojanović from Barajevo, Andrija Trefalt from Lazarevac, Zoran Mileševic from Kikinda, vice-admiral Jovan Grbavac and other numerous donors of skin and blood as well as the numerous individuals and companies that helped Stefan and his mother with financial donations. Among them are also students of the Sixth Belgrade Gymnasium and firemen from the Police department in Nis.

Big support to Stefan and Slavica was also given by: Embassy of Serbia in Rome, Dragana Vukojević-Ljubojević, the first secretary for economic relationships in this Embassy, Serbian consulate in Bari, Biljana Medjedović, the handball player in “Teranova di Sabari” club and Mrs. Vanda Jastsenjski who motivated lots of their friends and citizens of Palermo to help Stefan. Thanks to those two women Stefan was visited by the football player of “Palermo” and the representative of Serbian football selection Bosko Jankovic, with his wife and mother. Besides the moral support, Bosko Jankovic also financially supported Stefan and organized the visit of the famous Miccoli and other football players. Football club “Palermo” also gave donation for Stefan, Biljana Medjedović has organized the collection of the donations in the handball clubs “Palermo” and “Sinaa”. Vanda Jastsenjski’s son organized the charity action in the primary school “Giovanni 23” in Palermo when students collected money and put it on the Stefan’s account. Dr. Biljana Nikolić gave big support to Stefan’s mother. Ana Urošević from the Embassy of Serbia in Rome showed significant assistance to “Naša Srbija” in making all necessary contacts in Italy.

Medias made significant contribution to successes of this action for helping Stefan: Vecernje novosti, Pres, Glas, Kurir, Blic, RTV Pink, RTS, RTV B92, TV Kikinda, Narodne novine – Niš, Jedinstvo-Vranje…

By the occasion of Stefan’s return to Serbia, “Naša Srbija” and Military Medical Academy have organized the press conference on December 22 attended by general-major Prof. Dr. Miodrag Jevtić and Prof. Dr. Jefta Kozarski, who aquainted the public with the process of Stefan’s further treatment and rehabilitation, as well as the president of “Naša Srbija” Mladjan Djordjević who handed in the awards for doctors of the Military Medical Academy thanking them for everything they have done for Stefan. The special moment was when Stefan joined all present at this press conference where he was welcomed with sincere emotions.

It was also announced the further collaboration between “Naša Srbija” and Military Medical Academy with the Center for Burns and Plastic surgery in Palermo and International Association for Humanitarian Medicine. Within this collaboration, our medical doctors and molecular biologists will be trained for application of the highest technology in skin transplantation and in the meantime it will be enabled the cooperation in medical treatment of patients: the biopsy of the patient will be sent to Palermo for further producing in laboratory environment and after that it will be performed transplantation at the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade.

As the organization which takes care of Stefan, “Naša Srbija” thanks to all people who helped Stefan and gave their support during his medical treatment. “Naša Srbija” will continue helping Stefan.