"Friend of Life" is the highest prize awarded by the Management Board of the Polish Association of Life Defenders. It is distinguished by people who in a peculiar way contributed to the Civilization of Life and Love. The gala of the “Friend of Life” award will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, in the hall of Saint John Paul II at the Basilica of Divine Mercy in Kraków Łagiewniki.
The gala will culminate in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of our Association. This is simply a peculiar chance for us to sum up our achievements and celebrate this Jubilee together with our Friends and Contributors.
This year, the winners were:
The drug. Tadeusz Wasilewski gynecologist. After fourteen years, he abandoned the in vitro procedure and established the first clinic in Poland to treat infertility by means of nanotechnology. In addition to the treatment of patients, he besides educates further specialists in this field. He speaks of children conceived as “the youngest patients”, thus emphasizing their individual dignity from the minute they appeared at the heart of their mother. Lek. Vasilewski emphasizes that he owes his change to God, who all day tries to service with all his might.
Magdalena and Łukasz Gniewkowski – parents of Dominica, Emilia and Agnieszka. Dominica and Emilia, twins, were born prematurely, with a birth mass of 550 grams and 1,100 grams respectively. As a consequence of Dominic's preeminence, he suffers from bilateral proceeding loss, Emilia – brain palsy of children. Agnieszka suffers from an ultra-rare disease, Jordan’s syndrome. The Gniewkowski household inspires to enjoy all moment, even the 1 that seems seemingly invalid. Magdalena and Luke emphasize that the most crucial value they can give their daughters is simply a careful, delicate and delicate presence.
Below we present the framework programme of the celebration:
15.00 – An hr of mercy in the Basilica of Divine Mercy;
3:30 p.m. – Solemn gala in the hall of Saint John Paul II at the Basilica of Divine Mercy:
- Speech by Wojciech Zięba, president of the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life – presentation of 25 years of PSOŻC activities;
- Award of the “Friend of Life 2025” award to the doctor Tadeusz Wasilewski for his contribution to the work of protecting human life and dignity from conception to natural death;
- The screening of the movie “We Hope” and the award “Friend of Life 2025” in the category “Silent Hero” for Magdalena and Łukasz Gniewkowski, for pro-life attitude in everyday life, expressed in parental love and commitment to protecting the life and dignity of unborn children and with disabilities;
- Award of the peculiar prize "Friend of Life 2025" in the category "Apostolate activity in the defence of the sanctity of human life" for Fr. Tadeusz Rydzyk CSsR for the courageous defence of human life from conception to natural death and for the effectiveness in creating and developing the activity of social means of communication as the centre of pro-life evangelization;
- Award a peculiar award “Friend of Life 2025” in the category “Media in the Service of Civilization of Life” for tv Trwam, Radio Maryja and Our diary for building a media civilization affirming the life of man from conception to natural death.
6 p.m. – Mass in the Basilica of Divine Mercy led by JE Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow;
19.30 – a treat for guests in the lower part of the hall of Saint John Paul II.
So far, statues have been given:
- Dr n. med. Wanda Poltava, a psychiatrist doctor, prisoner of the Ravensbrück camp, collaborated with St. John Paul II;
- n. med. Rafał Michalik, pediatrician, co-founder of “Pro Humana Vita” Foundation and the Małopolska branch of the Catholic Association of Polish Physicians;
- Dr. Alicja Grześkowiak, lawyer and politician, co-author of the bill on the legal protection of the conceived child, initiator of the 1996 legislature rejection of the 1996 amendment. The household Planning Act, the Protection of Human Fetal and the Conditions of Admissibility of Abortion;
- Teresa the King, educator, Methodist, author of a series of textbooks to be raised in the family; thanks to Minister Mirosław Handke and her efforts, the subject was introduced to Polish schools;
- Catherine and Mateusz Kłoskow, Foundation Our Children, initiators and founders of the pro-life billboard campaign;
- Maria Chodkiewicz, president of the Association of Friends of Catholic Schools;
- dr n. med. Ewa Slizuń-Kuchapska, specialist obstetrician-ginecologist and NaProTECHNOLOGY, president of the Management Board of the Polish Association of Natural Teachers of household Planning, teacher and medical consultant of fertility designation methods, academic lecturer and co-author of many publications.
The discrimination is besides awarded to "Silent Heroes" – parents for pro-life attitude in everyday life, expressed in parental love and commitment to protecting the life and dignity of unborn children and with disabilities. So far you have received this award Anna and Zbigniew Kasprzyków, Marta and Andrzej Witeccy, Marta and Maciej Komorowski and Margaret and Bogdan Dubanowicz.
