Bike "Rally for Health" #ResolveSzpiczak

- " As a physician who treats many myeloma patients, as president of the Polish Myeloma Consortium, and as a cycling enthusiast, I wholeheartedly support this event," says Dominik Dytfeld, MD, from the Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Karol Marcinkowski Medical University in Poznan, who will participate in the "Rally for Health" for the third time.

The idea of a bike rally for myeloma patients was born in 2018. - I received a diagnosis of the disease in 2017, as a gift for my 60th birthday. I came across wonderful doctors, the myeloma was quickly brought under control, and just a year later I started cycling again. On a trip a few days in the summer, I came up with the idea of going to the hospital for chemotherapy by bike once a year. In the corridor of the hospital, while in cycling gear, I met Lukasz Rokicki, president of the Carita Foundation. It was then that the idea of "Rally for Health" was born. We organized the first one in 2019 in Grudziądz, then there was a break due to the pandemic, but already in 2022 the second edition of the rally was held in Poznań," says Grzegorz Rakowiecki, the commander of this year's "Rally for Health. Last year's edition was a success: there were more than 200 participants.

This year, the organizers invite Poznan's Malta River on September 2 at 9 a.m. There will be a choice of two routes of 6 km and 23 km. Registration at https://rajdpozdrowie.org is open until July 31.

Active living with myeloma

- For more than 11 years, the Carita Foundation has been conducting educational activities, we are building awareness of myeloma diagnosis and modern treatment. We organize the "Rally for Health" because we want to show that a hemato-oncology patient can live an active life with proper treatment. Besides, this is one of the few occasions when the whole community can integrate and spend time outside the hospital, forget about the problem and treatment. We all need it. It's a day when we can exchange experiences, establish new relationships, and most importantly: spend a wonderful time together-emphasizes Lukasz Rokicki.

Doctors who take care of myeloma patients on a daily basis are encouraged to participate in the rally. - This is a unique event, showing that when you have cancer, you can enjoy life, play sports and be active. It is attended not only by patients, but also by everyone who is fighting the disease, including doctors, nurses, hospital staff, clinical research coordinators, pharmaceutical company employees, representatives of public institutions such as the National Health Fund. All of us are contributing our part to defeat myeloma, or... "drive it apart." - Dr. Dominik Dyfeld points out.

This year you can also participate in the rally anywhere (in Poland or abroad): just select during registration the method of participation: "Any other place of your choice" and specify the number of kilometers. The declared length of the route must be covered on September 2, 2023, between 12:00 and 15:00, and then send a photo of yourself to the email address [email protected] or post on the social network of your choice with the hashtag #RaidForHealth. - The distance covered is not the most important thing, but the very participation in the Rally and support for the initiative, adds Lukasz Rokicki.

As part of the entry fee, a registered person will receive a T-shirt, a commemorative medal, and promotional materials. A Health Zone will also await participants, where they will be able to take preventive examinations, including skin tests (Fura Zdrowia), bone density (OsteoBus), obtain an EHIC card, talk to experts and enjoy a free food zone.

In addition to physical activity, which is important in treatment, as well as the integration of the community, this year's "Rally for Health" has additional goals: the funds raised will be used to modernize and create a friendly chemotherapy day room for all hematooncology patients being treated at the University Clinical Hospital in Poznań, and to retrofit a physiotherapy room in the Hematology Department at the L. Rydygier Regional Hospital in Toruń.

This year's "Rally for Health" is held under the patronage of Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski, Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region Marek Woźniak, Mayor of the City of Poznań Jacek Jaskowiak, the Poznań regional branch of the National Health Fund (NFZ) and the Polish Society of Hematologists and Transfusiologists.

Myeloma treatment getting better in Poland

Although myeloma is still a disease for which a cure is not yet possible, thanks to modern treatment, it is increasingly a chronic disease with which patients can live for many years, fulfilling family, professional and social lives. - In many cases, we can now treat in such a way that myeloma is not "visible" for many months or even years. It is possible to live with this disease without having symptoms, sometimes even forgetting about it," notes Dominik Dytfeld, MD.

Leading a normal life is also possible thanks to the fact that more and more modern treatment options are available and reimbursed in Poland. - We are happy that they are increasing year by year. Thanks to the very good cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the voice of the patients is heard, more and more patients benefit from access to modern therapies and thus can function better and better. We invite everyone to participate in the Rally, not only myeloma patients and those supporting their treatment process, but also other hematooncology patients," emphasizes Lukasz Rokicki.

- "Rally for Health" is here to show patients and their loved ones, doctors and those who decide on drug reimbursement that a normal life with myeloma is possible. Three things are needed for this: a positive attitude towards life, doctors with a vocation and access to modern drugs. One should never give up," adds Grzegorz Rakowiecki.

Medexpress.pl is a media patron of the event.