Lithuania’s first lady highlights early cancer detection at charity event

Lithuania’s First Lady Diana Nausėdienė has underscored the importance of breast cancer prevention and early diagnosis at a charity gala in Vilnius, thanking contributors to national screening and awareness initiatives, LRT reports.

Speaking at the “Blooming Hope” fundraising evening on Saturday, Nausėdienė emphasised that public campaigns help reduce stigma around oncology and encourage proactive health measures. “Let us preserve every woman for her family and society,” she stated. “Early detection means cancer is a treatable disease—not a death sentence, not inevitable suffering, not an irreversible loss for loved ones, but a journey toward recovery.”

She acknowledged the role of the International Women’s Association of Vilnius (IWAV) in coordinating national awareness drives and recognised partners like pharmaceutical firm Roche Lietuva for enabling precision diagnostics. “I am grateful for tangible actions that make a real difference,” Nausėdienė said, citing collaborations with municipalities to transport women from remote regions to the National Cancer Institute for free screenings.

The First Lady also praised healthcare professionals for guiding patients through treatment, noting their support helps women “find the strength to overcome the toughest trials.” She extended thanks to this year’s goodwill ambassadors—doctors Agnė Čižauskaitė and Šarūnė Liukpetraitė-Kuosienė—as well as sponsors whose contributions sustain the initiative’s work.

Now in its 18th year, the IWAV-organised gala at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre drew representatives from diplomacy, medicine, business, and the arts.