The project resulted in a calendar featuring photographs of the breast cancer survivors in unusual costumes, as well as a publication containing the stories of eighteen women from Bogatynia. The ceremony was enhanced by a cabaret evening performed by the “Teatr Nasz” theatre from Michałowice.
An accompanying event marking the launch of the calendar and book was the International Amazonki Sports Festival, held in Bogatynia for the fifth time. On Saturday morning, the Bogatynia Amazonki, together with their invited guests, met at the bowling alley at ZSzOI in Bogatynia, where they took part with their friends in numerous competitions, including billiards, bowling and skill games, as well as a zumba dance demonstration.
After the morning sports festival, the Amazonki invited all residents of the municipality to a ceremonial academy at BOK, organised to mark the conclusion of the “Medication Is Not the Only Cure” project, held under the motto “Those who lack the courage to dream will not have the strength to fight”.
The academy began with a presentation of the models—the Bogatynia Amazonki—who took part in a costume photo session, posing in extraordinary outfits. The photographs were used to create an eighteen-month calendar. The photographs show women made up to reflect, even to the smallest extent, the dreams lying dormant within them. There is Colombina, the proud Aristocrat, the Queen and the Krakowianka. All beautiful, attractive and living life to the full. Wonderful women who have endured the tremendous hardship of fighting disease, but decided not to hide from the world.
An integral part of the calendar is a book containing a collection of stories in which eighteen Amazonki from Bogatynia share their experiences and talk about their illness and the difficult, but also joyful, moments in their lives. It was precisely quotations from this publication, presented together with slides from the calendar, that evoked the strongest emotions during Saturday’s ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by Bogatynia local-government officials, priests from the Bogatynia deanery, members of local non-governmental organisations and fellow Amazonki from Lower Silesia. Among the guests was also clinical oncology specialist from the Lower Silesian Oncology Centre in Wrocław, M.D. Maciej Płochocki and Edyta Zierkiewicz, an employee of the Counselling Studies Department at the Institute of Pedagogy of the University of Wrocław, author of numerous books devoted to women in popular culture and the situation of women with breast cancer in Poland. Also present were people with “great hearts” who support and cheer on the women of Bogatynia.
The ceremony was also an opportunity to express thanks and appreciation to those who contributed to the publication of the calendar and book.
The Amazonki thanked the sponsors and everyone who worked with them to create these extraordinary publications.
After the ceremonial academy, the Amazonki invited their guests and friends to a slice of cake and dinner. The calendar and book could also be purchased that day. The Bogatynia Amazonki decided to allocate the proceeds from sales to organising preventive-health campaigns and rehabilitating women suffering from breast cancer.
The calendar and collection of stories can be purchased from the Association; contact telephone number: 889 696 556.
UGiM Bogatynia/ii