Pelion's activities

For the 20th time, representatives of culture and business gathered at the official gala to express their support for the unique idea they share. The event attracted nearly 300 participants, including Prof. Jan Miodek, Anna Dymna and Prof. Jerzy Stuhr, who talked about their commitment in a film report. A theatrical performance “Ptasie Radio” was given by children under the care of the Foundation and memories were shared by those who played a key role in the project’s history.

“It was an evening full of true emotions,” says Anna Marusia, President of the Management Board of the Urtica for Children Foundation. “It was not just another auction of incredible works by young artists, but also a perfect moment to sum up the 20-year history of the project and express thanks to those who have accompanied us since the very beginning.” The gala featured a “big auction” conducted by the master of ceremony on the stage, which comprised 35 paintings and raised as much as PLN 316,500.00, and a “small auction” of 90 paintings created with passion, showing real talents and the power of imagination, during which PLN 107,620.00 was collected.

For the entire catalogue of works, visit:  https://www.urticadzieciom.pl/#n_331-katalog-prac--urtica-dzieciom-2017 . At this moment it is certain that, as befits the 20th anniversary celebrations, the highest ever amount of PLN 424,120.00 was raised, which will increase even further once the online auction is completed. While the prices of the works started from several hundred złotys, the most expensive was the Coco Chanel painting by 12-year-old Marika Woźniak from School Complex No. 33 for chronically ill children and adolescents at Dr. A. Jurasz University Hospital No. 1 in Bydgoszcz, sold for an impressive amount of PLN 25,000.00. The atmosphere was extremely hot during the bidding!

But emotions were high not only at the Wrocław Congress Centre. Tomisław Bensari, President of the Management Board of PGF Urtica Sp. z o.o. emphasised: “Authors of these amazing works were awaiting the auction results in hospital beds. To them, the awareness that they have contributed to the project is something really important. They know that the project offers a chance for a healthy childhood both to them and their hospital friends, as well as other children in an unequal fight with a dangerous foe – cancer.”

There was also an artistic part of the evening, featuring the Camerata Chamber Orchestra of Wrocław under conductor Jan Pogany, performing a repertoire of film, musical and classical themes. As usual, the gala was hosted by Paweł Krupski, producer, director and actor, accompanied during the auction by: Katarzyna Pakosińska, Kinga Preis and Konrad Imiela. The honorary patrons of the event were: Marek Michalak, the Ombudsman for ChildrenPaweł Hreniak, Governor of the Wrocław Province, Cezary Przybylski, Marshal of the Wrocław Province, and Rafał Dutkiewicz, Mayor of Wrocław.

Since its inception in 1997, the Urtica for Children project has been supporting children’s oncology and haematology wards in Poland. Its first edition, held exactly 20 years ago at PGF Urtica’s registered office, involved mainly the company’s employees. The initiative came from by the then Management Board of the company, which is currently the largest distributor of pharmaceuticals to hospitals in Poland. Since 2003, the gala has been held at art and culture institutions in Wrocław, such as the Wrocław Philharmonic, the Puppet Theatre, the Museum of Architecture, and the National Forum of Music. In 2009, the DOZ Fundacja Dbam o Zdrowie Foundation became a partner of the project and the programme was extended to include workshops and story reading at the participating hospitals. The subsequent editions enjoyed increasing interest and gathered a growing number of guests.

At present, 18 hospitals are beneficiaries of the project. The initiative’s ambassadors include: Anna Dymna, Prof. Alicja Chybicka, Prof. Jan Miodek and Prof. Jerzy Stuhr. At the very heart of the Sunny Gallery cycle of art workshops held at hospitals lies the annual charity auction of paintings created by the youngest patients of oncology and haematology wards. All proceeds from their sale are used to support the hospitals (e.g. by providing them with specialist medical equipment) and organise the Urtica for Children Camp, holiday rehabilitation stays for children and their parents. This year, thanks to the benefactors’ support, as many as 90 persons could stay at the Unicorn Psycho-Oncology Centre in Kraków free of charge, participate in therapeutic workshops with a psycho-oncologist and in sessions with a dietician and body movement instructor, and play games with an entertainer. To learn more, see www.urticadzieciom.pl and https://www.facebook.com/urtica.dzieciom/