On 15-16 March 2014 Katarzyna Sawicka from ASA participated in a campaign organized by the Regional Blood Donation and Haemotherapy Centre in Gdańsk and the DKMS Polska Foundation, the KrewAktywni Association and Już Pomagam Foundation.
During this campaign anyone could voluntarily donate blood and register as a potential bone marrow donor. The campaign's motto was: Here and now you can start saving someone's life …
Both in Gdańsk and in Rumia, Ms Henryka Krzywonos – Strycharska, known mainly as a former oppositionist in the Polish People's Republic, persuaded and encouraged shopping centre visitors to register in the national bone marrow bank. Ms Henryka Krzywonos – Strycharska used to run a foster home in Gdańsk for many years. She brought up 12 children, and after retiring she became involved in a social movement, "Congress of Women" which awarded her with the title of "The Polish Woman of the Last Two Decades". She was also awarded the Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta and the Order of the Smile for her merits.
Your blood saves other people's lives
The registration of potential bone marrow donors as well as the blood collection took place in a special bus which was parked in the CH Auchan Gdańsk parking site on 15 March, and on 16 March - in the Rumia Port parking site. All people who had any concerns related to safe blood donation and registering as potential bone marrow donors were referred by Katarzyna Sawicka to physicians present on site.
The physicians explained all issues connected with blood donation, i.e. who can become a blood donor - that it has to be a healthy person aged 18 – 65 and weighing at least 50 kg. Such person cannot be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any medicine. Specialists reassured everyone that registration in the potential bone marrow donor bank is very simple and fast. It consists in swabbing one's mouth and takes just a moment.
Those who donated blood and declared their readiness to become bone marrow donors received many warm thanks and little gifts, also from ASA. They were given Novocardia, a preparation which will help them take care of their health, strong hearts and the cardiovascular system.
According to Stanisław Kalicki, the Chancellor of the "Już Pomagam" Foundation, which was one of the co-organizing parties of the event, registration as potential bone marrow donors is a very serious decision to make. When it turns out that we are "genetic twins", we can give someone a chance for a new life. In Poland, every second person qualified for bone marrow transplant does not find a related donor. The more potential donors are registered, the more chances the ill people have.
We would like to thank every participant of the event, also on behalf of the organizing parties. Their blood will be used in hospital treatment of many ill people - half a litre of blood can save the life of even 3 people. And among the potential donors, there may be at least one, yet so much needed "genetic twin".