The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP) played across Poland and in many places in Europe and around the world on Sunday. The 31st final of the great charity event was held under the slogan “We want to win against sepsis! We play for everyone – small and big!”.

WOŚP 2023 includes online auctions, 1,633 headquarters in Poland and around the world, concerts, picnics and sports events. The 31st WOŚP Finale saw almost 120,000 volunteers collecting money under the slogan ‘Live healthy in a healthy world’. This year, WOŚP is playing for everyone, “small and big”, as the funds raised will be allocated to medical and laboratory equipment necessary in the fight against sepsis.

Sepsis is a set of symptoms caused by an uncontrolled, violent reaction of the body to an infection. It can lead to multiple organ failure, shock and death within hours. Studies show that globally, sepsis is responsible for 20 % of all deaths. According to the World Health Organisation, 11 million people died from sepsis in 2017.

Data from the National Health Fund shows that the number of sepsis cases in Poland is around 20,000 per year, and the mortality rate is higher than for respiratory cancers or heart attacks.

For the survival of a patient with sepsis, it is crucial to diagnose it as soon as possible and start the right treatment – optimally within the first hour. That is why the WOŚP wants to equip hospitals with equipment to speed up the diagnosis of infections. The Foundation informs that from the funds raised this year it plans to buy, among other things, equipment for identification of microorganisms by mass spectrometry and analysers for molecular diagnostics.

Last year, the WOŚP Foundation collected more than PLN 224,376,000 during the final collection. The aim of the collection was to ensure the highest standards of sight diagnosis and treatment in children.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński