New wing of the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze officially open

Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze (SCCS) opens a new wing of the hospital for patients. Among other things, the new wing includes the departments of cardiology, civilisation diseases and mechanical circulatory support. Chemodynamics laboratories, laboratories and a well-equipped emergency room have also been opened. The official inauguration of the new part of the hospital was accompanied by a concert organised by BGK Foundation. The main theme of the event was the heart and gratitude to all those who contributed to the realisation of this important investment.

The first hospital of this kind in Poland

Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze has existed since 1984. It is a place of modern diagnostics and therapy for cardiovascular diseases of adults and children. It is Poland's leading highly specialised hospital in the area of basic and implementation clinical research. The establishment of the SCCS is the result of the work of: Prof. Stanisław Pasyk, Prof. Zbigniew Religa, Prof. Marian Zębala and Dr Lili Goldstein - the pioneers in cardiology and cardiac surgery in Zabrze.

- Due to the significant and important scientific and medical potential, both in Poland and abroad, as well as a well-organised clinical base, our hospital meets the standards of Western Europe - emphasises Prof. Piotr Przybyłowski, medical director and coordinator of the SCCS Cardiac Surgery Unit.

“Your yes has power” campaign

Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze is supported in their work by J.K. Steczkowski BGK Foundation. Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, a Polish development bank whose mission is to support sustainable social and economic development of the country, is its sole funder.

- Social commitment is an important part of our bank's mission. BGK actively participates in charity initiatives such as supporting Polish paediatric transplantation. Through J.K. Steczkowski BGK Foundation, we donated almost one million PLN to the construction and equipment of the Congenital Heart Defects and Children's Cardiology ward together with Children's Intensive Care Unit" - says Tomasz Robaczyński, member of the Management Board of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.

- We have financed the expansion of the hospital and the purchase of modern equipment, which is a tool for doctors in their daily work, saving lives. However, as we know, sometimes this is not enough. Lack of knowledge about transplantation is a huge challenge. Transplants in children seem to be a particularly difficult topic. That is why we have also focused on building awareness around it" - says Renata Kościelniak, President of BGK Foundation.

- We started with a heart, a teddy bear and a hospital wall. There, a mural was created by Wojciech Brewka - the artist we invited - a teddy bear cuddling an anatomical heart became the symbol of the multi-stage social campaign 'Your yes has power'. We did not think that our campaign, conducted jointly with the SCCS, would have such a large reach - it reached over 7 million people directly" - says Renata Kościelniak.

The concert "My heart is a musician"

The mission of the SCCS is to "save, heal, give hope...". This would not be possible without access to the most innovative technologies. Although - as hospital representatives underline - there are many factors that determine the high position of the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, which has been operating for more than 35 years, and the most important of them are people. Kind and competent doctors, excellently trained both at home and abroad, caring nurses and the entire medical and administrative staff, for whom the patient is always most important. - It is to all these people, hospital employees and representatives of organisations and companies who are involved in the Zabrze centre that we wanted to thank them by inviting them to a special event. Its main theme was, of course, the heart, but this time in an artistic, musical interpretation” - says the president of BGK Foundation.

At the House of Music and Dance in Zabrze, a concert entitled 'My heart is a musician' was held on October 3, during which Kamil Bednarek, Natalia Niemen, Ania Rusowicz, Krzysztof Kiljański, Danuta Błażejczyk and Monika Borzym performed.

Worldwide achievements

More than 1,500 heart operations are performed annually at the SCCS in adults and children, including a great many using minimally invasive techniques. Each year, the hospital admits around 15,000 patients. Specialists at the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases carry out the full profile of diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac procedures and all types of cardiac surgery performed worldwide. They perform more than 12,000 invasive cardiac procedures annually. The SCCS also hosts one of the largest cardiac failure treatment programmes in Europe, as well as - on the largest scale in Poland - a program of heart, lung and heart-lung transplantation in adults and children. This program, thanks to the determination and great dedication of the team, has been consistently growing, steadily increasing the number of transplants. From the beginning of the centre's operation until the end of 2021, 1,401 heart transplants and 294 lung transplants were performed there.

- Such good treatment results would not be possible without the access to the most innovative technologies. The newest medical equipment makes diagnostics and therapy increasingly effective and safe for patients, which also improves their quality of life. Thanks to the funding from the Ministry of Health, its own resources, programmes of the European Union and the generosity of sponsors, the Silesian Centre was able to equip its wards and laboratories with such equipment. It was able to open the new wing" - explains Prof. Piotr Przybyłowski.