The competition will take place on Saturday, 21 April. It starts at 11:00 a.m., while registration will be open from 9:00 a.m. Start/finish – the athletics Orlik at Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych im. mjra Henryka Sucharskiego in Bolesławiec, 6 Komuny Paryskiej Street. The event regulations are provided below:

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The competition, held as part of Szpikolada, is under the patronage of the Bolesławiec county head.

Szpikolada is an original recurring initiative of the community of Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych im. mjra Henryka Sucharskiego in Bolesławiec, with a charitable and educational character. It is carried out by a group of teachers and students in cooperation with foundations involved in recruiting donors of stem cells and bone marrow.

During Szpikolada, potential bone marrow donors are registered, a blood donation drive is held, meetings and presentations on transplantation are organised, and accompanying events take place.

This year's edition of the campaign will take place on 20–21 April. The event programme is provided below:

  • Friday, 20 April
    • 10:00 a.m. – official opening of Szpikolada, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. – registration of potential bone marrow donors, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 3:00–7:00 p.m. – registration of potential bone marrow donors, City Center gallery
    • café
  • Saturday, 21 April
    • 5th Run for Bone Marrow
      9:00–10:30 a.m. – registration, athletics Orlik at ZSOiZ
      11:00 a.m. – start, athletics Orlik at ZSOiZ
    • 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. – registration of potential bone marrow donors, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. – registration of potential bone marrow donors, City Center gallery
    • 12:30 p.m. – basketball tournament, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • café.

Photos from last year's edition of the campaign are provided below:

View photo: Szpikolada 2017 View photo: Szpikolada 2017 View photo: Szpikolada 2017

A bone marrow donor may be a person who is:

  • between 18 and 50 years old
  • responsible and aware that they may be asked to donate bone marrow even several decades after registration
  • healthy, with no history of cancer, haematological or immunological diseases, and not carrying HIV, HBS or HCV (hepatitis B or C) viruses
  • meeting requirements similar to those for blood donors.

During registration, you must have a document containing your PESEL number with you.

A bone marrow donor is permanently disqualified by:

  • HIV infection (or belonging to a group at increased risk of infection with this virus)
  • the presence of HBs antigen, anti-HCV antibodies with HCV RNA present (the presence of anti-HBc antibodies and a past hepatitis A infection are acceptable)
  • active tuberculosis within the past 5 years
  • diabetes requiring antidiabetic medication
  • active asthma requiring medication (if the candidate has not had an asthma attack in the past 5 years and does not take medication, they may qualify).

In Poland, someone is diagnosed every hour with a blood cancer, that is, leukaemia. For many patients, a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor is their only chance of survival. You too can save someone's life by registering as a potential bone marrow donor. It takes only a moment and involves a preliminary medical interview, completing a form with personal details, and providing a swab from the inside of the cheek or 4 ml of blood.

Zbigniew Herbut from PCK on the myth surrounding bone marrow transplantation: