50th anniversary of the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine

28.09.2022

Organised on the occasion of the jubilee of the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Medical University of Gdańsk, the scientific and historical symposium 50 years – from the Department of Rehabilitation to the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine was held on September 24, 2022, in the Prof. Zdzisław Kieturakis auditorium at the University Clinical Centre (UCC). The celebration was accompanied by an urogynecology workshop held the day before. The celebration was prepared by the team of the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, led by Prof. Dominika Szalewska, and the Pomeranian Branch of the Polish Rehabilitation Society (PTReh), led by Joanna Jabłonska-Brudło, Ph.D. The event was held under the patronage of Prof. Marcin Gruchała, Rector of the Medical University of Gdańsk.

Prof. Dominika Szalewska and Joanna Jabłonska-Brudło, Ph.D. who opened the symposium, welcomed the guests. Among them were representatives of the authorities of the University and the Clinical Hospital: Prof. Edyta Szurowska, Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs of the MUG, Dr. Habil. Magdalena Blazek, Prof. of the University, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Jakub Kraszewski, Chief Executive Officer of the UCC. Also present were Dr. Habil. Iwona Sarzyńska-Dlugosz, vice president of the PTReh Main Board, Jerzy Karpinski, Ph.D., director of the Health Department of the Pomeranian Provincial Office in Gdańsk, Tadeusz Jedrzejczyk, Ph.D., director of the Health Department of the Office of the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, and Dariusz Majorek, director of the Pomeranian Branch of the State Fund for Rehabilitation of the Disabled. A congratulatory letter was also sent by Marek Krasuski, Ph.D., former national consultant in medical rehabilitation and former president of the PTReh General Board. The document was read out by Prof. Dominika Szalewska.

The guests congratulated the hosts on the anniversary of their scientific and professional success in rehabilitation and the continuous improvement of the quality of treatment services. Among other things, they emphasized the role of medical rehabilitation as an important stage in the treatment of most diseases and the growing demand for this service, mentioned the history of the Department and Clinic of Rehabilitation at the MUG, and highlighted the Clinic’s role in training medical staff and its contribution to the development of medical rehabilitation in Pomerania.

symposium attendees

The next stage of the event was the presentation of commemorative diplomas. From the hands of Vice-Rector Prof. Edyta Szurowska and Prof. Dominika Szalewska, they were awarded to those who have been particularly meritorious to the unit: Wieslawa Nyka, Ph.D., Barbara Wojewska-Wójcik, Ph.D., Prof. Gabriela Chojnacka-Szawłowska, Bogumił Przeździak, Ph.D., Dariusz Wieczorek, Ph.D., M.Sc. Aleksandra Nowak and Iwona Jamiołkowska. In addition, Dr. Habil. Iwona Sarzyńska-Długosz awarded diplomas with the title of Honorary Members of the Polish Rehabilitation Society to Wieslawa Nyka, Ph.D. and Barbara Wojewska-Wójcik., Ph.D.

The first lecture, on the beginnings of the Department of Rehabilitation against the background of Pomeranian rehabilitation, was given by Wieslawa Nyka, Ph.D. The co-authors of the presentation were Bogumił Przeździak, Ph.D. and Barbara Wojewska-Wójcik, Ph.D. This was followed by presentations on comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation as a pillar of secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases by Prof. Dominika Szalewska and Katarzyna Gierat-Haponiuk, Ph.D. The next lecture, given by Dr. Habil. Iwona Sarzynska-Dlugosz, was entitled Spasticity – a consequence of stroke that can and should be treated. It was held under the auspices of IPSEN as part of the Life after Stroke campaign. This was followed by a presentation by Dariusz Wieczorek, MD, Ph.D., on the Analytical Approach to Neuropsychological Cognitive Function Therapy, or how to translate an understanding of the nature of disorders into a therapeutic program.

The results of recent model studies of aquatic therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were discussed by Prof. Wiesław Ziółkowski, while Dr. Habil. Arkadiusz Manski, Prof. of University gave a lecture on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and the central nervous system in the light of research in the 20th and 21st centuries. Co-authors of the presentation were Prof. Gabriela Chojnacka-Szawłowska and Paulina Anikiej-Wiczenbach, M.A. The symposium was topped off with a lecture on the role of dapagliflozin in the new standard of treatment for patients with heart failure (HFrEF) and chronic kidney disease delivered by Prof. Dariusz Kozłowski from the Division of Cardiology & Electrotherapy at the MUG.

photo: Paweł Sudara/MUG