Record-breaking collection for GOCC

A record amount of more than PLN 100,000 in the history of the university was collected by the Medical University of Wroclaw for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. Most of the money came from the cans of collecting volunteers and almost 80 auctions, in the preparation of which UMW students and employees were involved.

The GOCC staff at Wroclaw Medical University, which had 40 active volunteers, had already launched a virtual piggy bank and the first auctions on the Allegro platform a few weeks ago.

- In the end, we had 79 auctions, which is more than twice as many as last year," says Franciszek Kedzierski, head of the GOCC staff at UMW and chairman of the "Together We Can Do More" student organization. - It seems, which makes us very happy, that our academic community is becoming more and more willing to join in charitable activities.

Many auctions had a unique medical character, and the university took advantage of the unique venues at its disposal. Traditionally, it was possible to bid on a visit to the Museum of Forensic Medicine (for which about 5 thousand zlotys were paid), the Museum of Pharmacy (more than 2 thousand zlotys), the Museum of Mulages and the Garden of Medicinal Plants (each of which was "sold" for more than a thousand zlotys). The hit turned out to be a tour of the Air Ambulance base (over 5.8 thousand zlotys).

- We also received interesting offers from our students. The scientific circles donated, among other things, a course in surgical suturing, which was auctioned off for 1,600 zlotys, as well as courses in first aid and cancer cell culture, for which several hundred zlotys each were paid," adds Franciszek Kedzierski.

University employees were also eager to support the GOCC. Prof. Dariusz Patkowski, head of the UMW Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, invited to an endoscopic surgery course conducted by him (more than 1.6 thousand zlotys), and Dr. Robert Zymlinski, Prof. UMW, associate dean of the Faculty of Medicine and head of the Cardiac Intensive Care Clinic of the Heart Institute, offered a resuscitation course as part of the "Move Your Heart" program (more than 1.4 thousand zlotys). One thousand zlotys each was paid for a lesson in invasive cardiology and a visit to the hemodynamics lab of the Heart Institute accompanied by Dr. Victor Kuliczkowski, UMW professor, and a trip to the Jizera Mountains combined with a mini-course in cross-country skiing with Prof. Mariusz Kusztal of the UMW Department of Nephrology and Transplant Medicine.

In addition, the GOCC headquarters at UMW organized three so-called "white Sundays" in shopping centers. During the events, future health care workers from scientific circles and student organizations, among others, performed basic examinations, expanded knowledge on prevention and taught first aid. During the meetings it was also possible to learn breast and testicular self-examination, sign up for the DKMS bone marrow donor database, donate blood or learn more about organ donation.

- Taking care of health is the most important thing, that's why our students and us health care professionals joined forces to educate patients and help the sick according to the principle "Together we can do more," says Tomasz Zatoński, PhD, UMW professor, vice-rector for building relations and cooperation with the environment and coordinator of the WOŚP at Wroclaw Medical University. - We would like to thank everyone who joined in the campaigns we conducted, and we hope to break another record next year.

The 32nd finale of the GOCC was held under the slogan "Lungs after the pandemic. We play for children and adults," and the funds raised will be used to purchase equipment for the diagnosis, monitoring and rehabilitation of patients in pulmonology wards.