DKMS Foundation initiatives drive stem cell donation in Poland

Individual efforts to support stem cell donation have gained significant momentum in Poland through the DKMS Foundation. One notable initiative, ‘Strażak na szlaku’ (Firefighter on the Trail), began in 2020 when firefighter Sławomir Kowalczyk embarked on a solo mountain trek in full gear to educate hikers about the importance of bone marrow donation. Over five years, this spontaneous act evolved into a nationwide movement involving 2,297 firefighters from various units across the country, reaching 14 million people and adding over 6,000 potential donors to the registry.

In a separate instance of direct impact, Michał Kempiński, a customs officer from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Customs and Tax Office in Toruń, successfully donated hematopoietic stem cells to a patient fighting blood cancer. Kempiński had been registered as a potential donor with the DKMS Foundation since 2018. After being notified that his genetic profile matched a patient in need, he underwent the medical procedure to complete the life-saving donation.