At the start line of the event supporting Polish transplantology held on 3 October we saw 47 relay teams. This is less than in previous editions due to the coronavirus pandemic and the related restrictions, such as the social distancing requirement.
– One more edition of the “Run for New Life” is already behind us, but the atmosphere and emotions accompanying this special educational project are still fresh and strong. The event is special because we have been propagating the knowledge about transplantology for many years, reaching increasing groups of people. This year has shown particularly clearly that we are all very determined in this education, and despite the pandemic we met virtually in June and now, in person, in Warsaw - says Jan Stępniak, race participant from Września, who lives only thanks to a transplanted kidney.
The “Run for New Life” would not happen if it were not for the well-known persons who support it. The event’s ambassador is Przemysław Saleta. The famous boxer and kickboxer was not interested in transplantology until his daughter Nicole fell ill. The sportsman gave her his kidney and then returned to active sport. Apart from Saleta, at the start line of the 17th “Run for New Life” there were, among others: Marcin Korcz, Marta Kuligowska, Rafał Zawierucha, Krzysztof Wach, Jacek Kopczyński, Katarzyna Dąbrowska, Olga Kalicka, Przemysław Sadowski, Kamila Kamińska, Izabela Zwierzyńska, Agnieszka Rylik, Mariusz Jakus, Jarosław Jakimowicz, Ewa Pacuła, Rafał Mroczek, Marcin Mroczek, Szymon Wydra, Paweł Zagumny and Mariola Bojarska-Ferenc. – I’ve been with the “Run for New Life” from the very beginning. It is important to get familiarized with this topic, to talk about it; and if you finally go, you don’t have to take with you your organs, which they can save somebody’s life. It’s important to get the message across, especially to the young generation - says Mariola Bojarska-Ferenc. - Especially today, when we are fighting the coronavirus pandemic, we should realize that health is the most important - she adds.
Actor Krzysztof Wach says that events like the “Run for New Life” have to be supported and publicized. – I don’t mind at all that after I die, my organs will be collected and save other people’s lives - he declares.
As always in the “Run for New Life” it was participation, not the result, that mattered. However, to add some sports emotions to the event, the organizers measured the participants’ finishing times. The best result was recorded by a relay team led by Adrian Mielnik with transplantee Józef Bożki and Katarzyna Złotkowska.
The 17th “Run for New Life” was accompanied by a debate devoted to the challenges of Polish transplantology, attended by doctors, transplantation coordinators, patients and representatives of the Ministry of health. Among the ideas which were put forward at the meeting there was, among others, appointment of the position of implant recipient coordinator to leads the patient with an extreme organ deficiency until the time of transplantation. We could also hear that in many countries live transplantations account for as much as several ten percent of surgeries. In Poland this figure is small and amounts to only 5 percent.