3.11.2017
The ceremonial inauguration of the Polish Academy of Kids Association and the GUMed Kids project took place on October 27, 2017, at the Medical University of Gdańsk. Nearly 300 young students from 6 to 12 years old from Gdańsk and the area received students record books of the Polish Academy of Kids from the hands of the MUG’s Vice-Rector for Student’s Affairs prof. Tomasz Smiatacz. They also listened to lectures of nine-year old Zuzanna Hofman “Maths – my passion” and prof. Boleslaw Rutkowski “Kidney – the secret organ”.
The Medical University of Gdańsk is the first medical school in Poland, which took part in the Polish Academy of Kids project in 2010 under the name of GUMed Kids.
From the very beginning, the technical coordinator of the GUMed Kids project is prof. Alicja Dębska-Ślizień, and since 2014 Zbigniew Heleniak M.D. Ph.D. supports the project in the organisational matters.
As part of the inauguration and the GUMed Kids project, several free lectures and classes were led by the MUG’s specialists, including prof. Marcin Gruchała, Rector of the MUG and Head of the 1st Department of Cardiology, Juliusz Chorążewicz M.D. Ph.D. from the Department of Ophthalmology, prof. Barbara Kamińska from the Department of Paediatrics, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Paediatric Nutrition, prof. Stanisław Hać from the Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, prof. Aleksandra Żurowska, Head of Department of Paediatrics, Nephrology and Hypertension, prof. Bolesław Rutkowski, Jolanta Wierzba M.D. Ph.D. from the Department of General Nursing and many other outstanding professionals.
Since 2010, over 2,500 free lectures were conducted for over 6,000 children in Poland, the Netherlands, Ireland and the Czech Republic. The Academy involves children aged 6 to 12, including hospice patients, children from the Municipal Family Help Center (Polish MOPR), orphanages and elementary schools pupils. The project operates on a voluntary basis and is free of charge for its beneficiaries.