Five days before the 32nd Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, we visited the 'Pomnik - Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka' (Children's Memorial Health Institute) to ceremoniously inaugurate the first Ophthalmic Simulation Laboratory in Europe dedicated exclusively to the field of peadiatric ophthalmology.

Lidia Niedźwiedzka-Owsiak, who is the director of the medical division of the GOCC Foundation, was awarded an Honoris Causa at the Poznań University of Medical Sciences. This recognition was given in appreciation of her commitment to upholding the highest standards in healthcare.

On 9 May in Poland, we celebrate the Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmology Day – a very special date for the GOCC Foundation. Since 2001 we have run the Prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity Programme!

Three decades went by in a flash! Although it’s 30 years since the first Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, we still remember how a spontaneous charity action turned into a fantastic worldwide initiative!

Research shows that prematurely born babies struggle to breathe, so non-invasive methods of support, which are safe to use on vulnerable babies, are vital in providing care and treatment.

We are so very proud! The most expensive machine in the history of the GOCC, the first PET-CT scanner in Poland for children, allowed for screening of 100 patients so far.

To purchase the medical equipment for early diagnosis of the bacterial infection that causes sepsis – this is the main objective of the upcoming 31st Grand Finale. For the first time in the history of the Orchestra, the Foundation will purchase medical equipment for all patients in need, regardless of age.

The digital PET-CT scanner is a device which allows highly accurate and detailed imaging of tumour foci in children bodies. This equipment purchased by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation for nearly PLN 16 mln is the most expensive machine in the history of the GOCC.

We continue to support Ukrainians fleeing the war and one of the ways in which we help refugees in Poland is by equipping Polish hospitals, which admit and treat patients from Ukraine. Our charity bought and donated equipment for 15 towns in the country.

New medical equipment has been delivered to a hospital in Hajnówka, where refugees, who were stranded on the Polish-Belarussian border received urgent and much-needed medical care.

See the light - this is the very telling motto of our winter fundraising initiative. We will raise money to buy equipment for children's ophthalmology. Next year we will buy medical devices to save children's eyesight!

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1st, as the International Day of Older Persons. The day serves to remind us about the needs of older persons.

October first marks International Healthcare Workers Day. We wanted to take this opportunity to reiterate how grateful we are for all the work and commitment it takes to pursue a career that focuses on saving lives and helping people get better.

We have summed up the 57th Open Tender, where we focused on the purchase of medical equipment for children's heart surgery and anesthesiology. We bought 242 medical devices, which will be donated to hospitals in 23 cities across the country.

Our charity has been raising money to buy medical equipment for children's medicine for almost 30 years. We have raised over PLN 1.5 billion and donated over 65 200 medical devices. We also initiated and help run 8 medical initiatives and one educational programme.

From the very beginning of our charitable work, we focused our efforts on helping medics care for the most vulnerable patients. We want to improve the conditions at public medical facilities nationwide. Our medical programmes became stepping stones in the development of paediatrics in Poland.