Event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1183188315709946/

Dorota died on 24 May. She was five months pregnant. She was admitted to the hospital ward in Nowy Targ with anhydramnios. Instead of treating Dorota and saving her from sepsis, the nurses told her to lie with her legs raised because this was supposed to help restore the amniotic fluid. Dorota complained of a headache, while indicators of inflammation in her body continued to rise. Vomiting began. Lying with her legs raised, Dorota spent the final days of her life. When fetal death was established at 5:20 a.m., doctors at the John Paul II Hospital, instead of immediately saving Dorota’s life, called the provincial consultant for cover. Dorota was qualified for surgery only after the consultation at 7:30 a.m. That meant another two hours of waiting and condemning Dorota to death. Dorota died at 9:39.

Symbolic! The John Paul II Hospital in Nowy Targ announced back in 2005 that pregnancies are not terminated at that facility. Amen.

In 2019, Cardinal Dziwisz presented the hospital with a relic of John Paul II, saying: “Here, patients and their visiting loved ones, as well as healthcare workers, will be able to entrust their worries to him, especially those related to illnesses and ailments, trusting in his intercession. He restored hope to people and continues to do so. He strengthened our faith that a person’s fate is in God’s hands.”

This time, a drop of diluted blood from the “holy” pope or some other handkerchief did not help. A donkey’s hoof from Bethlehem would not have managed either. What was needed here was termination of the pregnancy. Mrs. Dorota and her family counted on medical help, which was not provided! Another young woman died because the pregnancy was not terminated in time. Despite the test results and her critical condition, none of the doctors undertook to save the patient. Can they still be called doctors? Deliberately, consciously, with their hands folded (or crossed?), they watched her agony, but they very quickly complained that they were being blamed.

If we entrust the lives of patients to God, then why have operating rooms? Turn them into chapels right away. The pact between throne and altar is deadly for women in Poland. If the conscience clause cannot be banned, hospitals that treat with “Hail Marys” should be marked! Those who want to survive should give these pseudo-medical facilities a wide berth. The Constitution guarantees us access to medical services, but PiS wiped its shoes on the Constitution and replaced it with the Bible.

Nothing will change in this country until we separate church and state! #TheBibleIsNotTheConstitution Religion must be immediately removed from the Sejm, hospitals, schools and offices.

Dorota from Nowy Targ is dead because termination of the pregnancy was not considered to prevent sepsis, whose symptoms were disregarded.

Dorota from Nowy Targ is dead because, with anhydramnios, she lay for three days with her legs raised after being told that this might bring the fluid back.

Dorota from Nowy Targ is dead because she was lied to. She and her family. Because no one told them that at 20 weeks of pregnancy, anhydramnios means practically no chance of a live birth and a serious risk to her life and health.

Dorota from Nowy Targ is dead because Polish anti-abortion law kills and turns doctors into political lackeys instead of health-protection experts. Dorota is dead because doctors do not rebel.

Where there is no legal abortion, women die in hospitals because, instead of saving our lives and health, medical staff wait for the provincial consultant to come to work and graciously authorize the procedure. So that later someone can be blamed.

How many times will we write “I am not an incubator!” on cardboard signs?

How many more times will we have to write “We demand doctors, not missionaries!”?

How many more people will die because of fetal-centrism in medicine, law and politics?

How many more mothers will lose their daughters?

How many more children will lose their mothers?

How many more husbands and partners will lose their wives and partners?

Have too few of us died yet?

Stop killing us!

We will meet on Wednesday, 14 June 2023, at Bolesławiec Market Square at 6:00 p.m. to commemorate another victim of the abortion ban in our country with a moment of silence.

Text excerpts from posts by: Magdalena Ślifka and Bolesławiec Women’s Strike.

Cover graphic: Radec RareRomans