Michał Antoniuk
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 45-year-old man from Gdańsk. At the age of 18, he had his leg amputated at thigh level as a result of bone cancer. He took part in a rehabilitation camp for amputees organized by the Poland Business Run Foundation in 2023. With the support of the Foundation, he financed the purchase of a hydraulic foot for a new prosthesis. His lifelong passion is cycling - before his disability on a road bike and now on a handbike. Recently, he has also been fascinated by remote-controlled car models and bashing, i.e. extreme driving them. He is always active and energetic and likes to laugh. Despite his disability, Michał has already explored a bit of the world and plans to continue doing so. He is also a community activist and volunteer.
Agnieszka Fojut- Jakubowska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 32-year-old woman from Gdów, mother of two sons. On 10 August 2023, a bone-milling machine pulled in her right arm while working. It could not be saved and had to be amputated above the elbow, despite the doctors' efforts. Agnieszka is right-handed and because of this, her life changed 180 degrees after the accident. Getting back to normal is very difficult and, despite the exercises, takes a long time. She is a chef technician by profession. She loves cooking and, in the summer, making preserves from fruit and vegetables. She enjoys spending time in the kitchen, but now, without her arm, this is more difficult. However, Agnieszka does not give up and tries to think positively. She hopes that nothing will be impossible for her once she receives her prosthesis. She dreams of opening her own business, such as a restaurant or café. A rehabilitation grant will help her with this.
Zdzisław Młocek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 72-year-old man from Kęty. He has been struggling with atherosclerosis for more than 30 years. In December 2022, due to acute ischemia, he had his right leg amputated at thigh level. He moves around in a wheelchair and tries to walk on a prosthesis, assisted by two elbow crutches. Before the amputation, his greatest passion was cultivating his allotment. The Foundation's support will enable him to attend a rehabilitation camp, where he will learn to move more confidently with his prosthesis. He also dreams of daring to drive a car now adapted to his disability, improving circulation in his left leg and strengthening it, and returning to his pre-surgery activity and passion, namely cultivating his allotment. Zdzisław hopes that with the help of specialists who provide rehabilitation and learning to walk with a prosthesis, he will be more independent and will be able to return, at least in part, to his former shape.
Oskar Chrząstek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 44-year-old man from Częstochowa, husband, and father of two sons. In June 2022, he suffered a traffic accident on a motorbike in which he lost both legs. Since February this year, he has been practicing walking at home on prosthetics with C-legs. Automotive has always been his passion as well as his profession, as he runs a business repairing accident cars, renting cars, and selling parts and used cars. Currently, due to the lack of capacity in his business, he deals with sales, and even this is quite difficult. Before the accident, he and his family enjoyed spending their free time at the lake or hiking mountains. Oskar also traveled with his wife on a motorbike or caravan to various places in the country and abroad. His dream is to walk independently, albeit on crutches, to his son's 18th birthday in June 2024. The funding for the rehabilitation holidays will greatly help him to achieve his career goals and facilitate a partial return to normality and life before the accident.
Jarosław Kowalski
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 65-year-old man from Zawiercie. In July 2023, his right limb at thigh level was amputated due to ischemia. Overnight, his professional plans and everyday life collapsed. He was working as a machine mechanic in a plant that produces aluminum bottle closures. After work, he played table tennis with friends as an amateur. In addition, he is interested in sports and enjoys listening to good music. He is overcoming further barriers thanks to his prosthesis and the great support of his family and loved ones. His biggest dream is to return to driving. He will then be able to visit friends and acquaintances across the country, whom he has met through his involvement in various social movements related to addiction. He actively participates in rallies and team-building meetings. He also enjoys helping people with their difficult issues. Funding for a rehabilitation camp for learning to walk will help him to return to a smooth daily routine, walk without crutches, and fulfill his dreams. As he admits, he would like to "go wild" a bit more in life.
Katarzyna Skoczylińska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 42-year-old woman from Bukowno in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. Since 2011, she has been battling bone cancer - chondrosarcoma. Over the years, she has undergone eight operations, the last of which ended in the amputation of her left leg at thigh level. This ruled out her returning quickly to the job she loved so much. She worked as a nursery school teacher and this is what propelled her forward, giving her a sense of normality and fulfillment. She continues to fight to return to a level of fitness that will enable her to carry out her profession. Thanks to the tremendous support of family, friends, acquaintances, and the local community, she was able to purchase a high-tech prosthesis. However, in order for her to be able to use it to its full potential and learn to walk efficiently and safely, systematic rehabilitation and adaptations to her changing physical conditions are necessary. This involves enormous costs, unaffordable for Katarzyna in her current situation. Funding for rehabilitation will enable her to learn to walk, replace some parts of her prosthesis, and, ultimately, fulfill her dream of returning to work.
Tomasz Kubas
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 27-year-old man from Krakow. A year ago, he was involved in an accident involving a tram, as a result of which he lost his leg - his right lower limb was amputated (hip exarticulation). He now moves around in a wheelchair and on crutches. His greatest passions are dancing, football, and classic cars. He loves going to classic car rallies and going to matches. Before the accident, he used to dance a lot. A prosthesis would also make it easier for him to further his career, as he wanted to set off on a truck tour of Europe. He is an active person and doesn't like to lie around, so the prosthesis would enable him to go for a walk, to the cinema, or to a concert. Tomasz dreams of starting his own business doing car detailing, but for this, he needs a prosthesis. Thanks to the rehabilitation funding from the Foundation, he will be able to return to most of his passions, enjoy life even more, and, above all, return to the physical work he loves.
Krzysztof Radwański
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 28-year-old man from Krakow, who was injured in a traffic accident in May 2023. As a result of the injuries sustained, he underwent several operations, including two life-saving ones; it was then that a decision was made to amputate his left leg with an exarticulation of the hip joint. Before the accident, he worked in the IT industry, while "after hours" he was physically active. He regularly worked out at the gym, trained in various sports, and rode a motorcycle and a BMX bike. He also worked as a casual bartender on the weekends, which enabled him to meet new people. The foundation's support helped him to quickly fund a specialized prosthesis, which - after rehabilitation - will allow him to return to his social life and partly to sports. His main goal is not to stop, despite such a tragic event that happened to him. He wants to find new passions and get back behind the bar to fill people with positive energy.
Ewa Pawlikowska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 36-year-old woman from Zielona Góra. In 2021, she had an accident at work that caused an injury to her left arm, while in 2023 she was diagnosed with cancer, resulting in the amputation of her left breast. She became an Amazon and is seeking breast reconstruction. She struggles with depression. She loves to travel around Poland with her loved ones and is interested in urbex, World War II history, and Simonton therapy. She has bungee jumped from 70 meters and would like to fulfill a few other dreams. She is keen to function as an ambassador to help other people believe in themselves. She would like to write her book and believe in her strength again so that she can return to driving after many years. Her partner and her sons are helping her in her recovery - they are her wings, thanks to which she is learning to fly, and a local support group from Zielona Góra. She believes that the sun will come out after the storm for everyone.
Oleksii Gerasin
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 74-year-old man from Kraków. He is originally from Mariupol, Ukraine. He came to Poland because of the war effort and his inability to stay in his hometown. The support of the Poland Business Run Foundation will help him to return to normal functioning: to go out to the pharmacy or shop for medicines and shopping, to walk with his grandchildren, and to cope with the necessities of life without the help of others. He received funding for a prosthesis in 2023 and rehabilitation this year.
Grażyna Sławińska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 35-year-old woman from Krakow. She is a special educator and has been involved in disability issues professionally, academically, and as an activist for years. Now, as a result of an accident and a traumatic leg amputation, disability is also her personal experience. She loves learning new things, reading books, creating, transforming - both objects and reality. She believes that we can bring a little sunshine into the world. She is a child of nature - she could go weeks without leaving the mountains, the beach, or the forest. Thanks to the support of the Poland Business Run Foundation and the “Znowu w Biegu” Rehabilitation Centre, she has learned to walk, run, and dance again. Again Run is working in the area of humanitarian aid in eastern Ukraine. As a beneficiary of the Foundation, she will receive funding for her rehabilitation.
Marek Nowiak
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 64-year-old man from Krakow. His left leg was amputated in April 2022 as a result of atherosclerosis. He is an electrician by profession and has traveled extensively in Europe with his wife in the past. He is currently interested in sports, mainly football and tennis. He has been receiving regular rehabilitation at the "Znowu w Biegu" Rehabilitation Centre since November 2022 and is also a beneficiary of the 2022 World Swimming Backwards Championships. Thanks to funding from the Poland Business Run Foundation, he will be able to continue his rehabilitation, which will allow him to return to independence and fitness. Previously, he additionally received funding for the purchase of an adaptor in his prosthesis, which will enable him to function more efficiently and independently, such as getting dressed.
Beata Kurek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 62-year-old woman from Będzin. She suffers from arteriosclerosis of the lower arteries and her right leg was amputated. She currently moves around in a wheelchair. She has a prosthesis, but she finds it difficult to use it - she can only move about with a walker, and she also has problems putting it on because of the weight of the prosthesis and problems with her shoulder and arm. Her passions have always been swimming, cycling, and outdoor movement. Currently, she has to stay at home because she lives on the second floor and there is no one to carry her downstairs. She is hoping that the grant for the amputation rehabilitation holidays will help her to learn to walk with a prosthesis, especially climbing and descending stairs.
Renata Banaszek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 50-year-old woman from Kraśnik. She found out in 2021 that she had breast cancer. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Before the diagnosis, she was a very active person - she cycled a lot, ran, did walruses, and regularly went to fitness classes, the gym, and the swimming pool. Now she doesn't have the energy to do that, and the disease has changed her physically and mentally. She needs rehabilitation to overcome the pain. She would like to return to activity and feel feminine again. She hopes that with funding for post-mastectomy rehabilitation, she will be able to overcome her weaknesses, regain her self-confidence, and get back into shape.
Mieczysław Bańka
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 73-year-old man from Kraśnik. In 2023, as a result of a ruptured aneurysm of the popliteal artery and ischemia, his leg was amputated above the knee. He is a retired military man. Before his amputation, he was professionally active, working as an emergency management specialist. He was also active in sport and it was no problem for him to cycle 100 km. He has cycled, among others, the Green Velo route of more than 2000 km, a route along the Polish border from Świnoujście to Przemyśl, as well as the Kraśnik-Lwów rally 6 times, several times Kraśnik-Częstochowa, and many others. He wants to get back to fitness as soon as possible so that he can ride his bike again. A rehabilitation stay after the amputation will help him to do this.
Jan Ksiądz
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 60-year-old from Księżopol in the Lublin voivodeship. He is a forester by profession. In December 2023, he suffered an accident as a result of which his leg was amputated at the level of the lower leg. It was a difficult experience for him and his family, because in one moment he lost his physical fitness, his independence and the possibility to pursue his passions such as hiking in the forest or observing nature. Today he is walking again - he has a prosthesis, which he is trying to make friends with. He would like to learn to use it enough to be able to return to his work and his passions. Thanks to the runners, he will take part in a rehabilitation camp with gait training, which will help make this dream a reality.
Maciej Łuczak
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 23-year-old from Nowy Tomyśl in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. He is a fourth-year physiotherapy student at the Academy of Physical Education, Gorzów. Due to cancer, his left leg was amputated at thigh level in November 2023. He currently moves around on crutches, but is in the process of preparing for a prosthesis. He has been active in disability advocacy since his early college years, working with various foundations and organising support meetings for cancer patients. He became a community councillor to be a voice for people with illnesses and disabilities. He is physically active and swims. His dream is to become a good physiotherapist, get healthy and travel the world. Thanks to the runners, he will receive funding for a rehabilitation holiday and a prosthesis - he will be able to function normally, study and continue to act as a counsellor and motivator for cancer patients on his social media.
Wiesław Chmielarz
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 68-year-old man from Kędzierzyn-Koźle in the Opole voivodeship. In April 2023, his right leg was amputated at thigh level due to ischaemia and complications following the removal of a below-knee aneurysm. Prior to the amputation, he was fulfilled professionally (although he is now retired), leading investment activities in a large company in his city. This gave him great satisfaction. He was physically active and swam almost every day, covering a distance of min. 1 km. He and his wife went to the sauna several times a week, relaxed on their allotment in the spring and summer months, and went mushroom picking in late summer and autumn. He would like to return to his former favourite activities and hobbies, and participation in a rehabilitation stay will help him to do this.
Kazimierz Zalewski
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 68-year-old man from Rypin in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship. He has had his left lower leg amputated and lost his leg as a 3-year-old child in an accident. After completing technical school, he participated in parasports competitions in weightlifting and shooting. He is now retired and works casually. In spring and autumn, he takes care of the allotment where he and his wife grow vegetables and fruit for their own preserves. His passion is traveling around Poland, especially to the mountains. He enjoys spending time in the kitchen, and in the carnival he treats his loved ones to doughnuts. As his wife has also been disabled since childhood and works socially for the Polish Association of the Blind, he tries to support the members of the Association in various activities. Participation in the rehabilitation stay, for which he will receive funding, will allow him to maintain his physical fitness, live an active life and fullfil his dreams and passions.
Marzena Rynsza
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 40-year-old woman from Łyski in Podlaskie voivodeship. A happy mother of two daughters aged 13 and 15, raising them on her own for 13 years. With the birth of her younger daughter, she had to face the loss of her husband, who died of malignant tumour at the age of 27. In 2022, she found out she had cancer herself and again faced a difficult life experience, but she took up the gauntlet. She is now past 40 chemotherapy infusions, a total mastectomy without reconstruction and a lymphadenectomy of her lymph nodes. The disease has made her realise that it is up to us to live our lives and the importance of taking care of our own bodies. As a result, she would like to fulfil her dreams of travelling, exploring the world, being in touch with nature, relaxing by growing flowers and learning to swim. She is happy to simply exist, to dream and to just be, thanks, among other things, to the help of people of good will and various organisations that support people in difficult situations. As a beneficiary of the Poland Business Run, she will receive a subsidy for a rehabilitation course after her mastectomy.
Elżbieta Dzienis
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 51-year-old woman from Bialystok in the Podlaskie voivodeship. Wife and mother of two children. In 2023, she contracted malignant breast cancer, as a result of which she underwent left breast sparing surgery with removal of two lymph nodes, as well as radiotherapy. Hormone therapy and, in addition, liver disease, mean that she also struggles with back pain and joint stiffness. Despite this, she is active, goes to pool classes and walks, while in her spare time she learns English. Her dream is to fly in a balloon. Before her illness, she worked in a grocery shop as an expeditor and would like to return to professional activity, which is why she has applied to the Poland Business Run Foundation for funding for a post-mastectomy rehabilitation stay.
Krzysztof Suder
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
59-year-old from Głogoczów in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. He underwent amputation surgery due to thrombosis in March 2023. Before the amputation he worked as a construction worker, and in his free time he liked to spend time actively on his allotment. He is a proud husband, father and grandfather. He currently moves about on a prosthesis. Thanks to the runners of the Poland Business Run, he can actively participate in rehabilitation at the “Znowu w Biegu” Rehabilitation Centre.
Halina Kaczmarek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 70-year-old woman from Krakow, an active pensioner. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and had to have a mastectomy along with her lymph nodes. She enjoys travelling, sailing and hiking in the mountains. Rehabilitation after her mastectomy at the “Znowu w Biegu” Rehabilitation Centre allows her to maintain full range of movement of her right arm and proper lymphatic flow. The Foundation has helped her to get a lymphatic sleeve, extremely helpful in her daily household chores and in continuing her passions of travelling and sailing. As she admits, her quality of life has improved significantly thanks to the rehabilitation.
Anna Mirosević
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 37-year-old woman from Wrocław. Two years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer, with metastases to the axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes. She underwent a long radical treatment and is currently undergoing follow-up treatment. She loves exploring the world and climbing mountain peaks, as well as pursuing her artistic endeavors. She has been awarded several prizes in photography competitions. Funding for a post-mastectomy rehabilitation stay will help her reduce the effects of tissue fibrosis after radiotherapy.
Piotr Limberger
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 30-year-old man from Wołowice in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. He has been suffering from end-stage renal failure for 17 years. He is a family transplant recipient, but in 2018 he developed graft rejection and has required regular dialysis ever since. He has had sepsis three times, has severe anemia, hypertension, and hyperparathyroidism, as well as a weakened skeletal system, resulting in multiple muscle tears, bone fractures, and dislocations in his lower limbs and the need for various endoprostheses and several operations. He has a fistula on his left hand for dialysis, which makes it difficult for him to support himself on it and to keep his balance and thus walk on crutches. Since childhood, he has been interested in football and dreamed of playing for his favorite club; he also enjoyed swimming. Unfortunately, his illness meant that he had to give up sports and now can only cheer on athletes from the stands as a spectator. Unfortunately, lately, even this has been difficult due to another operation and his inability to move around independently. He now requires assistance with the simplest of life's activities. His dream is to walk without crutches, but for this, he needs regular rehabilitation, at least three times a week, which is very expensive. A grant from the Foundation will help him to finance his rehabilitation. He believes that, despite his current difficulties, he will start walking, be able to work, and become independent.
Amelia Stolarska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 17-year-old girl from Henryszewo in the Mazowieckie voivodeship. Ten years ago she lost her leg in a traffic accident and then her life turned upside down. Instead of running around with her friends, enjoying her childhood, relaxing, and pursuing her passion - photography - she spent long months in hospitals and worked hard during rehabilitation to finally be able to walk on a prosthesis. She has already achieved her goal and moves around on a prosthesis, and the passion she has had since childhood remains. She attends a technical school for photography and dreams of having her photos admired worldwide in the future. That's why she's very keen to get as fit as possible because photography is a profession that requires, among other things, good fitness. She knows how important rehabilitation is because without it even the best prosthesis can be useless. She would very much like to improve her gait, because it differs from the correct one, and it is extremely important for her that people associate her for other reasons than just because she has a prosthesis. A post-amputation rehabilitation stay at the “Znowu w Biegu” Rehabilitation Centre will help her achieve this.
Lilla Kuźmicka
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 56-year-old woman from Sawin in the Lublin voivodeship. She was born with a meningo-spinal hernia of the sacro-lumbar region with sensorimotor neuropathy, which consequently led to the amputation of her right lower limb in the lower leg area. She also has spinal problems, herniated discs and degeneration, and is bothered by tinnitus, which makes her hear poorly. She moves around on a prosthesis and uses a wheelchair. Despite these conditions, she tries to lead a normal life. She is on sickness pension and lives in a small village, which means she is deprived of the possibility of any gainful employment, but she has found her way as a housewife. She grows a small bed of vegetables for her own use. She also has a flower bed, as she loves tending flowers. She is very fond of riding her bicycle, which she uses to go on trips or to go shopping. She tries to participate in social life, goes to handicraft classes, meets with friends and loves animals. Thanks to the runners of the Poland Business Run, she will receive funding for the purchase of a prosthesis, which she needs in her everyday life; this will help her become independent and fulfil her little dreams.
Aleksandra Kulicka
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 60-year-old Polish woman from Brenna in the Silesian voivodeship. For a decade, she has suffered from type 2 diabetes and co-morbidities, including atherosclerosis. In May 2023, her left leg was amputated at thigh level due to ischemia. At the same time, she was diagnosed with cancer, resulting in the amputation of her right breast with lymph nodes in August 2023. She then underwent intensive radiotherapy. She currently moves in a wheelchair and tries to walk on a prosthesis, assisted by a walker and two elbow crutches. The Foundation's support will enable her to attend a rehabilitation camp, where she will learn to move more confidently on a prosthesis while improving circulation in her also atherosclerosis-affected right leg. Increased mobility will enable her to return at least partially to her former activities.
Jerzy Żuławiński
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 62-year-old man from Dobczyce in the Małopolskie voivodship. He works as a professional driver and also owns a small transport company. Enjoys mountain hiking. In 2013, he was involved in a traffic accident which resulted in extensive limb damage to the left side of his body. His arm managed to heal, while his leg was amputated at thigh level after several years of treatment. Despite his many health problems, he is a brave, cheerful man, giving good advice and help to people who need it. He has lifted the spirits of many patients with whom he has been in hospitals. Funding from the Foundation will enable him to purchase a prosthesis that will make it easier for him to function daily and achieve his professional goals.
Ivan Shkvarskyi
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 21-year-old from Krakow. He is originally from Ukraine but lives with his parents in Kraków. As a result of a traffic accident at work, his leg was amputated at thigh level. During this incident, he also suffered other injuries, an injury to the other limb or a fracture of the thigh bone in the amputated limb. He was in a coma for a long time and then recovered. Last year, he was able to purchase a prosthetic leg thanks to various fundraisers. His health has improved significantly thanks to the rehabilitation he received from PBR 2023 funds. This year, he is requesting further rehabilitation and a new prosthetic leg because the circumference of his stump has changed significantly and he can no longer walk in his current one. He is a player at For Heroes in Krakow and plays wheelchair basketball - he even has his first achievements to his credit. He would still like to be able to run and jump on two legs.
Andrzej Zawada
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 61-year-old man from Chrzanów in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. At the age of 17, he fell ill with malignant bone cancer. After undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he broke a decalcified bone in his leg, which no longer healed, and this limb was amputated at thigh level. Before that, he was a very active athlete, doing short- and long-distance running, swimming, and playing handball. However, he quickly found himself in his new reality after the amputation, started a family, and has a wonderful wife, a son, and a granddaughter. He ran a general shop for 30 years and is now looking for a new job. He is still active, cycling, hiking, traveling, and enjoying life. Thanks to co-funding of a new prosthesis (more technologically advanced than the previous one) and a rehabilitation stay from the Poland Business Run Foundation, new perspectives will open up for him - he will be able to move around better and more comfortably and to do sports, which are very important to him.
Maria Stefaniak
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 67-year-old woman from Kwidzyn in the Pomeranian voivodeship. At the age of 21, as a result of a traffic accident, her right leg was amputated in the mid-shank. Before this incident, she was actively involved in sports - athletics and ice skating. Despite her disability, she worked for 42 years as a construction technician, carrying out various investments and renovations in buildings, roads, and drainage. She gave birth to and raised three children. She has undergone four spinal operations, which unfortunately exclude the practice of any sport, apart from stretching exercises. She is currently interested in interior design and reads various publications on the subject. She also continues to be passionate about sports - athletics, tennis, and volleyball, but now only as a fan. Her dream is to see Venice, but for this to come true and for her to be able to function in everyday life, she needs a good prosthesis that will enable her to walk without pain and limp.
Jadwiga Starnawska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 70-year-old woman from Słomniki in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. Mother of three children and grandmother of six grandchildren. For years she has suffered from atherosclerosis and diabetes. In 2022, she received a diagnosis - of clogged arteries in her legs. She had five vascular bypass surgeries, but increasing pain meant that she could not walk and had to take huge amounts of painkillers. Doctors at the hospital decided to amputate her leg. She tried to avoid this through additional consultations with specialists and treatments, but the pain was getting worse by the day. In a serious condition, she ended up in hospital with progressive poisoning of the body, and by then there was no choice but to amputate her sick leg. Her world collapsed then, but thanks to the commitment and determination of her children, she found the strength to fight on. She wants to be able to move around for her grandchildren, to walk and play with them. She dreams of being able to invite the whole family over again, as she once did, and prepare their favorite dinner for them. The rehabilitation she received thanks to the runners will help her with this.
Aleksander Stawiarz
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 5-year-old boy from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. He was diagnosed with bone cancer two years ago and underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the time, but his leg had to be amputated in February this year. Aleksander has a 9-year-old brother and they are raised by their grandmother Elżbieta, who also suffered from bone cancer and has been moving around with a prosthetic leg for 46 years. Olek, although only five years old, was very brave and took the operation well. The boy will get his first prosthesis in September thanks to the youngest runners and joggers who will take part in the PBR Kids. Olek's grandmother believes that with such a prosthesis, the boy will return to a normal life and will be able to play like his peers.
Małgorzata Polek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
47-year-old woman from Bytnica in the Lubuskie voivodeship. Wife, mother of two daughters. At the age of 13 she fell ill with osteosarcoma. Doctors saved her leg for 11 years, but at one point the infection was so severe that it was life-threatening. Therefore, the doctors made the decision to amputate her leg. She lives in the countryside and enjoys walks in the forest, where she picks mushrooms and berries. She loves the sea and swimming. She works and gardens on a daily basis. She dreams of being as active as possible for as long as possible, because she loves working, being needed and helping other people. For years after her amputation she moved around on crutches, but now, thanks to funding from the Foundation, she will receive a prosthesis and then a rehabilitation stay. This will allow her to be more independent and relieve the pressure on her other leg. Her biggest dream is to learn to walk without crutches, with just a prosthesis, so that her daughters can see their mum happy and she will still be dancing at their weddings.
Andrzej Pestka
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 66-year-old man from Szczecin in the West Pomeranian voivodeship. Initially he worked in a shipyard, and after a traffic accident he changed industry and became employed in construction companies. His last years before retirement he worked in education as a maintenance worker. In 2007, he developed diabetes, as a result of which he had to have his foot amputated in 2022. Afterwards, he tried to function normally, worked hard and tried to rehabilitate whenever he could. He dreams of getting a job, becoming more fit and improving his right leg, which is also at risk. Since his youth, he has been interested in water sports - he swam, played water polo and was a diver. To this day, he still regularly goes to the pool because it helps his rehabilitation and improves his fitness. Thanks to the runners and joggers of the Poland Business Run, he will receive funding for his amputation rehabilitation stay.
Filip Koźmiński
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 23-year-old student from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. He has been disabled for almost 10 years, when he fell oncologically ill with Ewing's sarcoma. During this time he underwent several operations. Since then, he has been moving around with the help of crutches. In February 2024, it was necessary to amputate his leg below the knee. He is interested in sports, especially football. The illness did not allow him to pursue this passion actively, so he became an ardent supporter of European and Polish games in this discipline. He has a passion for history, particularly of the Central European region, and has associated his studies with this. He also greatly enjoys travelling, cinema, reading and cooking together with family and friends. Despite his long-standing illness and amputation, he leads an active lifestyle. He went through his entire education without hindrance, thanks to individual tuition, and just two weeks after his amputation he was able to return to university. He is active in the student council and the science club, and also runs a YouTue channel with his colleagues, where they publish popular science content. Thanks to funding from the Foundation, he will be able to take part in rehabilitation after his amputation. His biggest dream is to regain his full mobility, independence and ability to live an active life. He would like to go to England to see his favourite team, Arsenal, and visit the most interesting cities in Europe. He also dreams of continuing to develop and be active as much as possible, despite his disability.
Katarzyna Pucułek
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 34-year-old from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. She works as a soft skills trainer and is the manager of a training team. She was born without a right hand. She lives life at 110% - she coached volleyball, was active in the scouts, rides a bicycle, drives a car, travels the world and climbed Kilimanjaro. She is constantly learning new things and developing professionally. Thanks to funding from the Poland Business Run Foundation, she will be able to buy a bionic prosthetic hand. Daily life with a disability requires a lot of energy to adjust to reality and find ways to cope with life. The prosthesis will allow her to save this energy and devote it to supporting and inspiring others, and to get the most out of life - with two hands.
Mateusz Błażejewski
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 32-year-old man from Bieniewice in the Mazowieckie voivodeship. In 2011, he suffered a fractured vertebral column in an accident, which resulted in four-legged paralysis, so that he now moves around in a wheelchair. Ever since he was a young boy, he has had an enthusiasm for exercise, which has resulted in great progress in rehabilitation and sporting achievements, such as multiple Polish swimming championships and the Polish vice-championship in wheelchair rugby. In addition, he loves motoring and repairs any faults in his car himself. Together with his wife they are raising a five-year-old daughter and, as he says, being a father and husband gives him a lot of satisfaction and pleasure. He dreams of a wheelchair that can withstand his active lifestyle and make it easier for him to function every day, as his previous two wheelchairs broke. He would like to finally be able to do everything he loves without worrying about being left without the equipment to live. For the time being, he is using a replacement wheelchair, but thanks to the PBR 2024 runners, he will get a new one, tailor-made for his needs.
Sławomira Marczewska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
49-year-old woman from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. A wife and mother of two daughters, she works as an accountant. She was diagnosed with malignant breast cancer in 2023. She underwent chemotherapy, immunotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy with simultaneous reconstruction. She hopes that with funding for post-mastectomy rehabilitation she will be able to return to work and regain her full strength, fitness and self-confidence. She would like to live an active life again, fulfil her dreams, pursue her passions and enjoy life.
Zofia Malicha
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 6-year-old girl from Krzepice in the Silesian voivodeship. She suffers from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA type 1). Thanks to treatment and intensive rehabilitation, she is able to sit and move independently in a wheelchair. On a daily basis, she is a very cheerful and happy child. Her parents teach her that life with a disability is not at all sad. She loves to travel and paint, she also loves going to the swimming pool and does very well in it. Thanks to funding to buy a new wheelchair, she will be able to enjoy life to the full.
Natalia Grzyb
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 20-year-old woman from Huta Stara B in the Silesian voivodeship. She was born with meningo-spinal hernia and hydrocephalus, as a result of which she has been in a wheelchair since childhood. She has been playing parabadminton for 7 years. She is a competitor in the Polish national team. She has achievements in the national and international arena. The grant received from the Foundation will help Natalia to buy a new wheelchair, which she needs to function on a daily basis. Her current wheelchair is no longer usable.
Elżbieta Stawiarz
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 62-year-old woman from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. 46 years ago, as a teenager, she contracted bone cancer. She underwent difficult treatment at the time, as a result of which it was necessary to amputate her leg at thigh level. She moves about with a prosthesis and is the best example of the fact that it is possible to function normally and efficiently in such a case. She is raising her two grandchildren on her own, including 5-year-old Aleksander, who is also this year's beneficiary of the Foundation and underwent the same illness and amputation as his grandmother. Thanks to the runners of the Poland Business Run 2024, Elżbieta will receive a new prosthesis, as the previous one is already worn out and limits her physical fitness.
Jakub Bandura
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 12-year-old boy from Konary in the Lower Silesian voivodeship. He suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia, and the first symptoms appeared when he was 5 years old. Kuba's dream is to train wheelchair basketball and get into the youth team. He got his passion for the sport from his dad, who has represented our country internationally for years. Having a basketball wheelchair, which will be subsidised thanks to the runners of the Poland Business Run, will bring the boy closer to achieving his dream, as well as improving his daily functioning.
Sebastian Proniak
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 38-year-old man from Poznań in the Greater Poland voivodeship. He suffered a skiing accident in 2017, resulting in a fractured spine and ribs in several places, as well as bruised lungs and a subcranial haematoma. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation to help him stand on his own two feet. He moves around with the help of an active wheelchair. He is interested in neurology, football, motoring, aviation and technological innovations. Funding for the purchase of a wheelchair attachment will allow him to move more easily on more difficult terrain and make everyday life easier.
Karolina Strawińska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 27-year-old woman from Warsaw in the Mazowieckie voivodeship. She has suffered from paraplegia since 2013 and, due to post-surgical complications, now moves around in a wheelchair. Her passion has always been sport and she has been successful in sports such as swimming, wheelchair basketball and crossfit. Between 2016 and 2022, she was part of the national team in athletics (discus throw and ball push). She won a bronze medal in the ball push at the 2018 European Championships, and in 2021 at the European Championships in Bydgoszcz she won gold in the discus throw. At the 2022 Polish Championships, she won two gold medals in her crown disciplines, thus becoming a two-time Polish Champion in her class. At the beginning of 2022, she started training in a new discipline - wheelchair fencing, which was a break from athletics and presented her with new challenges. Since 2023, she has been a member of the national team in this discipline and in the same year, together with the women's sabre team, she won a bronze medal at the World Championships. The year 2024 brought further success, and she brought back as many as four medals from the European Championships in Paris. Her sporting dream is to win a medal at the Paralympic Games. Her active lifestyle and sporting career require her to have an electric wheelchair attachment. Funding for the purchase of this essential item will be made possible thanks to the runners of the Poland Business Run 2024. This will make her daily life easier, reduce the strain on her arms, improve her mobility, enable her to get around quickly and easily, and she will be able to devote more energy to training and competitions. She wants to continue being active, training, meeting friends, living a full life, developing, improving and travelling, which is her second passion.
Andrzej Filas
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 46-year-old man from Turek in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship. A father of three children. In 2016, he had an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and has been in a wheelchair ever since. Before the accident, he was very active, coaching athletics (sprinting) for 10 years, windsurfing and sailing, playing tennis and basketball, snowboarding. Despite this difficult experience, he has not given up his work and sports. He runs a rehabilitation practice where he combines acupuncture with traditional rehabilitation methods, with a specialisation in Chinese medicine as an acupuncturist and is constantly training in this field. He works with the national team and travels to Paralympic athletics training camps. He also co-organised recreational events in Uniejów for 'wheelchair users', where they could go canoeing, quad biking or zip-lining. Funding for the purchase of an active wheelchair will help him with his sports as well as his daily activities and work. He used to be a manual therapist and his work required a lot of dexterity and mobility, and the new wheelchair will make it much easier for him to do at least some of these activities. His dream is to learn to sit-kitesurf and, in the future, he may even pass on knowledge of the sport himself and train other wheelchair users.
Edmund Sawicki
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 72-year-old man from Golub-Dobrzyń in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship. In 2000, he was diagnosed with a rare cancer - sarcoma. Every few years the disease recurred, and he underwent many operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2023, his leg was amputated with an excision in the hip joint, and in April 2024 he underwent an additional operation to excise the tumour from his abdominal cavity. The leg amputation makes it difficult for him to lead an active lifestyle without barriers. He moves around on crutches, a walker and in a wheelchair. He dreams of functioning normally in spite of his disability, and a rehabilitation stay, which will take place thanks to funding from the Poland Business Run, will help him. There he would like to learn how to move well on crutches and with a prosthesis. In spite of his illness, he tries to be physically active, goes for walks and hikes, rides his bicycle and ran his own business until his retirement. He is a fan of a good book and board games and a supporter of all sports. He has a very positive attitude to life and tries to enjoy the moment.
Maja Borkowska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 10-year-old girl from Miastków Kościelny in the Mazowieckie voivodeship. She was born without a right leg and with an abnormally developed hip. She has already undergone 4 complicated operations. She had her hip reconstructed, as well as the amputation of her incompletely formed foot. To recover from all the operations, she has already spent many hours in rehabilitation. On a daily basis, she moves about with a prosthesis and in a wheelchair, and around the house with a walker. After the summer holidays, she will go to the fourth grade, and her parents would like her to gain strength and fitness through the amputee rehabilitation stay so that she can go to school, gain confidence, meet friends and have contact with her peers. She enjoys cats the most, as well as exploring different natural phenomena, swimming and singing. She dreams of a trip to a water park and a holiday at the Polish seaside, which she has not yet had the chance to see.
Stefania Fabisiak
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 72-year-old woman from Piekary Śląskie in the Silesian voivodeship. Since 2019, she has been struggling with cancer - osteosarcoma. She has undergone a second amputation of her leg with an extirpation in the hip joint, but despite this she is still active. She is also visually impaired and has been socially active for 24 years in the Polish Association of the Blind, where she and other members organise integration and cultural trips or workshops. She was awarded the Golden Badge of the Polish Association of the Blind for her activities. She belongs to the "Komar" Sports and Tourism Club for the Blind and Visually Impaired and has several trophies for sporting achievements to her credit. She dreams of "standing on her own feet" and moving freely with a prosthesis to be able to conquer the world and pursue her passions. Thanks to the PBR runners, she will receive funding for the purchase of a prosthetic lower limb and a rehabilitation trip after amputation.
Marcin Jurkiewicz
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 43-year-old man from Brzesko in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. He has had his left leg amputated at the level of the lower leg as a result of an accident. Currently he moves about on a prosthesis. His passion has always been football. Before the accident he was actively involved in this sport and today he works in the management department of a sports club. He is involved in managing and creating strategies for the sporting development of children and young people attending the football academy. He is also co-organiser of numerous tournaments for the youngest players. After hours, he enjoys hiking in the mountains, and his greatest dream is to conquer the Crown of the Polish Mountains. Funding for the purchase of a prosthesis will help him to realise his plans related to mountain hiking, return to active sports, have greater mobility and better function in everyday life at work and in private life.
Patryk Marat
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 39-year-old man from Pruszków in the Mazowieckie voivodeship. In 2013, as a result of an accident at work, he lost his left leg. Since then, he has been living and functioning relatively normally, although he admits that it is not easy. Recently, he has had a new passion - fencing, which he trains at a sports club in Warsaw. He also loves football and now, when he cannot play himself, he faithfully supports his favourite team. His biggest dream is to return to the job that is also his passion and favourite, namely carpentry. It's something he loves and knows how to do best, so the new prosthesis he received in 2023 enables him to become active professionally and opens up new opportunities for him. This year, as a beneficiary of the Foundation, he will receive funding for a rehabilitation holiday and will be able to undergo gait training with a prosthesis.
Danuta Staszewska
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 51-year-old woman from Słabuszewice, Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. In 2015, she contracted atherosclerosis of the arteries and veins, resulting in the amputation of her left leg above the knee. Since then, she has been moving around in a wheelchair and on crutches. She also currently has problems with her spine and with walking with a prosthesis. She used to be very active, working as a juror in court, among other things, but now, because of her health problems, she spends her time mainly at home, reading books or solving crosswords. Thanks to the PBR runners, she will take part in a rehabilitation camp after her amputation and, with the right exercises, she will be able to reduce her back pain and learn to walk with a prosthesis. As a result, she will become more active and independent and it will make it easier for her to go for walks, for example.
Wojciech Lenar
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 53-year-old man from Przeworsk in the Subcarpathian voivodeship. Due to complications from diabetes, he has his left leg amputated at thigh level. His dream is to return to his former lifestyle, move around independently and be fully independent. He hopes that with the funding he has received for rehabilitation holidays he will be able to move around with his prosthetic leg and gain the necessary knowledge on how to function efficiently in everyday life with it. He wants to return to work and to a normal life. Up to now, he has worked as a civil servant and has been involved in a wide range of investment areas. He is interested in sport, film, law and motoring. He also enjoys hiking, especially mountain hiking.
Przemysław Dukała
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 40-year-old man from Krakow in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. In 2019, he suffered a traffic accident in England, resulting in a complete rupture of his spinal cord. Since then he has been moving around in a wheelchair. He has always been an active person and played football and squash before the accident. After the accident, he missed physical activity very much. After his return to Poland in 2023, he came across the Foundation for Heroes and then started to train wheelchair basketball. Unfortunately, the equipment at his disposal is outdated and not individually suited to him. A grant from the PBR Foundation will allow him to buy a new wheelchair, made to measure his figure and type of disability, so he can feel more comfortable and perform better on the court.
Maciej Wysocki
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 6-year-old boy from Tomaszów Mazowiecki in the Łódź voivodeship. He was born with a genetic disease that caused many different illnesses and the inability to walk on his own. He loves talking to people, helping animals, loves travelling and is passionate about learning Spanish. Thanks to the Poland Business Run runners he will receive funding for a rehabilitation camp at a specialised centre, where he will have the chance to take the first step to a new life.
Tomasz Nijakowski
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
A 48-year-old man from Lusowo in the Greater Poland voivodeship. In 2022 he underwent surgery to amputate his left leg at thigh level. This was due to Fibrosarcoma cancer. A physiotherapist by training, he has always been involved in sport, having previously trained in swimming and MTB cycling. After the operation, he took an interest in para kayaking. He created an exercise space for himself at home and purchased a rowing ergometer. From July 2023, already under the guidance of a professional trainer, he trained six days a week, first in a kayak, then in a canoe. In April 2024, he was appointed to the National Team on behalf of the Polish Canoe Federation for the European Championships in the sprint and European Championships in the canoe marathon. In August this year he won a silver medal at the Polish Championships in Bydgoszcz. Funding for a rehabilitation camp will allow him to exercise under the guidance of the best physiotherapists and return to fitness after his amputation. He would like to learn how to walk without the help of crutches, to function more efficiently in everyday life, and to fulfil his dreams, such as completing post-graduate studies at the Academy of Physical Education or finding a job where he would be able to realise himself - preferably in sport, with disabled people. He also dreams of travelling with his wife and son and qualifying for the 2028 Paralympic Games. He wants to set an example for people who have gone through different experiences in life and make them aware of the benefits of physical activity and self-confidence.
Mamadou Mounir Sylla
Poland Business Run 2024 Beneficiary
An 18-year-old from Łuków in the Lublin voivodeship. He is originally from Guinea in Africa. In 2023, as a result of fourth-degree frostbite and a foot infection, he had to have both legs amputated at tibia level. Today, he moves around in an electric wheelchair that was donated to him. Before the amputation, he played basketball and was fulfilled by this sport, which allowed him to get away from reality. He also wanted to pass his baccalaureate and go to university to train professionally in basketball at one of the university clubs. Thanks to the PBR 2024 runners he will receive funding to buy two prostheses and psychological consultations. This will allow him to get back to normal, be physically fit, study, work, play his beloved sport in a wheelchair and enjoy life.
