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Polish charity raising funds to help prevent sepsis

29.01.2023 09:00
A high-profile annual fundraiser called the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity started in Poland on Sunday morning to collect money for medical equipment.
Impresario Jerzy Owsiak, the driving force behind the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity effort.
Impresario Jerzy Owsiak, the driving force behind the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity effort.Photo: PAP/Rafał Guz

This time, the charity drive, which is now in its 31st year, is raising money to help buy equipment for early diagnosis of the bacterial infection that causes sepsis.

The traditional collection sees volunteers, equipped with the event's signature boxes and heart-shaped stickers, taking to the streets of towns and cities across Poland and beyond.

Celebrities and sports stars, including tennis champion Iga Świątek and football star Robert Lewandowski, have pitched in by putting up personal items for a charity auction.

The foundation behind the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity drive says it has raised more than PLN 1.75 billion (EUR 370 million, USD 400 million) in funds for pediatric and elderly healthcare and bought more than 70,400 medical devices since the effort was launched in 1992.

This year, for the first time in the fundraiser's history, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation aims to purchase medical equipment for all patients in need, regardless of age, news outlets reported.

Last year's effort brought in more than PLN 224 million, according to organizers.

(gs)

Source: PAP, TVN24