The First Ladies of Poland and Lithuania visited our Patients and met with our Hospice team on September 5, 2024.
Fr. Filip Buczyński began the meeting by reading a fragment of the book “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“He kept laughing. After a while he became serious.
– That night… you know… don’t come…
– I won’t leave you.
– I’ll look like I’m suffering… I’ll look like I’m dying. Oh, yes!
Don’t come to look at it, it’s not worth it.
– I won’t leave you. He became worried.
(…) And suddenly he stopped because he started crying… – This is it. I’ll go one step ahead by myself.
But he sat down because he was afraid. He said again: – You know… my rose… I’m responsible for it. And it’s so weak. And so naive. It has four worthless thorns to defend itself against the whole world.
(…) He didn’t scream. He slowly slid down, like a tree falling. The sand muffled even the sound of the fall.”
“This fragment reflects the reality of this place,” said Father Filip Buczyński. It refers to the idea of palliative care, which our Hospice team has been implementing for 27 years. It shows the essence of how important interpersonal relationships, true friendship and accompanying the patient in their death are.
The First Lady of the Republic of Poland expressed her gratitude for the extraordinary effort and work for the patients that the employees undertake every day.
“Thank you very much for what you do every day. You have an extraordinary level of emotionality, empathy and big hearts. You have to be incredibly spiritual to be able to do this job,” said the First Lady of the Republic of Poland, Agata Kornhauser-Duda. At the same time, she admitted that the facility is a “role model”, being a “complete center”, due to the range of services provided, because the hospice cares not only for children, but also for the parents of the young charges.
First Ladies: Agata Kornhauser–Duda and Diana Nausėdienė visited the dental clinic during their visit, where Dr. Małgorzata Borowska, head of the clinic, presented the operating room where procedures are performed under general anesthesia, as well as the medical equipment that supports the clinic team in the process of dental treatment of disabled patients on a daily basis.
The scope of care provided by the Home Hospice was presented by Dr. Joanna Rafalska. She spoke about planning visits and trips to the patients who, despite their serious illness, can stay with their families in their own homes, as well as about the tests performed and the equipment necessary for everyday care. The First Ladies learned with interest how the home hospice operates and the needs of our families in our care.
The time spent with the children in the inpatient ward was full of warmth and emotion. The First Ladies emphasized the uniqueness of our hospice, where a truly family atmosphere reigns, full of kindness and care for the patients. The head of the inpatient ward, MD Zofia Lichota, in a conversation with the First Lady Spouses, spoke about the daily care for patients and the sensitivity of the medical team, which professionally and with extraordinary dedication takes care of the patients.
In the physiotherapy studio, the full range of rehabilitation treatments was presented by Kalina Jaworska, MD. The First Ladies saw how NDT Bobath therapy is performed, and also viewed the fully equipped SI therapy room and the World Experience Room, where therapy with the patient took place.
The Hospice also provides care to children from Ukraine. The First Ladies met with children and parents who spoke about their individual experiences and war experiences, the functioning of palliative care in Ukraine and the care and support they receive from the Little Prince Hospice all the time.
We would like to thank the First Lady of the Republic of Poland, Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda, and the First Lady of Lithuania, Dian Nausėdienė, for the extraordinary distinction and honor for our Hospice, the enormous warmth and empathy shown to the Patients and employees, as well as the donated medical equipment and gifts for children.
Many thanks to the Koncertowa Restaurant and the Bukietowa Florist for their help in organising the event.
Foto: Natalia Wysocka-Bodziak
Foto: Grzegorz Jakubowski/KPRP
