








Julia is about to leave us. She’ll be flying out this Wednesday but before it happens Julia and her parents sent us a thank you note for all the help and support they got from us. 8 months stay was a long time but all is behind now and they are happy for a chance to get help and the results that after this were achieved because of dr. Paley’s amazing skills.
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Hubert is back home in Poland . He traveled LOT Airlines and the staff couldn’t be more friendly & helpful. He felt like a prince! This is always a case when it comes to GFHF children. Thank you LOT!!!
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I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dar Serca’s Board of Directors and its volunteers for all the help my son Hubert received while in the USA. Thank you for the services and financial assistance which made our staying so much easier if not possible at all. The hospitality and thoughtfulness and care made us feel right at home. We will cherish the memories for ever. Since we left Chicago( May 2014) Hubert’s conditions improves daily. He exercises every day and even though there is still long way to achieve a perfect condition, I know that we will get there soon. I know that Hubert is going to be alright. Once again , from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your truly compassionate hearts, for everything – Monika Gawron – Hubert’s mom – Lublin , Poland
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Dominik arrived yesterday. He’ll be heading to St. Louis, MO on Tuesday for SDR surgery that is going to be done at Children’s Hospital there.
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Agnieszka arrived last Saturday and she will stay with us for few days; on Friday she will be heading to West Palm Beach, FL to start medical treatment at Paley’s Institute
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Our 9-months long stay in the USA came to the end. We would like to thank Dar Serca for constant emotional and financial support . because of that we felt at ease the whole time and not alone in this country, so far from home. Anosia is doing better and better each day. Get used to walk on her own with a little help of a walker . Despite the fact that she suffered a lot, got a very long and painful medical treatments & rehabilitation, she remains as happy and cheerful girl as can be. Thank you so very much dear friends at Dar Serca for all the help we received! – Antosia’s parents
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Dear Friends,
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of you involved in Dar Serca charitable work for helping our daughter Alicja with all needed services while she was a patient at Paley’s Institute in West Palm Beach, FL. Alicja was born with quite a few developmental problems, one of those was deformed right leg. Dr Dror Paley’s Institute was Alicja’s only chance for saving the leg. It took three major surgeries and 11 months to get results that doctor Paley and us hoped for. After very intense physical therapy afterword, Alicja was able to make few steps on her own! It was nothing short of a miracle for us. Even though this leg is still 6 cm shorter that the other one, and needs years of rehabilitation we are ecstatic that we saved Alicja’s leg and we’re looking forward to see her walk independently in the future. Through all this time Dar Serca was always there with us helping any and every possible way including covering costs of additional physical therapy sessions in Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA. It is hard to find the words to describe how important such support is. Without it we or any other parents of children with complex health problems, we would not be able to help them the way we could. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you friends, supporters, sponsors and volunteers of Dar Serca for giving Alicja this chance for better life, for all help and support – Alicja’s parents, June 2014
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Antosia stayed with us just for a little while before heading back to Poland. With a help from her dad she made this postcard for us. Thank you Antosia & good luck!
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After 9 months’ stay at Paley’s Institute in West Palm Beach, FL doctors gave OK for Marysia to go back home to Poland. Good luck Marysia! Her parents wrote a thank you letter to Dar Serca, that is published on Polish version of this page. Thank you Marysia’s parents for all kind words. Have a safe trip home.
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Michal is about to leave us. His parents wrote a summary of their staying : ” First of the medical treatment that Michal exceeded our expectations! Because of dr. Reddy’s extraordinary approach to my son’s condition and fast decision, during the same surgery Michal got his colon & urinary tracks fixed. This fact alone was much more that we hopped for. Even though there’s a long way ahead of us, Michal is on a right track to full recovery and a normal life. Rehabilitation will be a major factor in this process but we all hope for the best! It all wouldn’t be possible without wonderful people that we met on the way, who made it possible that Michal’s future looks bright. We are so thankful to them all! Special thank you to Dar Serca Foundation that provided us with transportation, food and board during our stay in the USA. Please keep Michal in your thoughts and prayers for his speedy recovery and overall success. Thank you” – Agnieszka & Jacek Kucharski
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Aside from being either before or after surgeries at Paley’s Institute in West Palm Beach, FL being I Florida has some perks: 100% enjoyable weather, beautiful site seeing opportunities and each other company; number of children there change frequently but there’s always 5 – 7 at a time; this photo shows beautiful group that is there now: Alan, Marysia, Alicja, Amelka, Antosia and Michal
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“Our stay here came to an end. Tomorrow, April 8th , after 7 months will be leaving Dar Serca. We have accomplished what we came here for: Lester’s spine is straight! All his vital organs: lungs, heart and stomach will start to function normally given so much needed space to grow. Upcoming months we will focus on convalescence but we already are so happy with the after-surgery results. Following pictures show how amazing job the doctors at Shriners Hospital did: spine before surgery
Spine after surgery
We are so very grateful to all involved in reaching this results and it’s really impossible to name these wonderful people, there were so many of them that if they’d stand shoulder to shoulder it would be very big crowd. If you only count doctors and nurses there were 12 of them assisting in first surgery and 20 assisting in the second surgery! And costs: several hundreds of dollars! Someone had to pick-up the tab and we won’t even know the names of these people but nevertheless we are deeply grateful for their so generous hearts. The staff and so many volunteers at Dar Serca made sure that all our needs were met. But than again: Dar Serca wouldn’t be able to do anything without constant support of the whole Polonia. I cannot omit our spiritual family in Poland and here in the US, that held Lester in their prayers at all times. One cannot achieve anything without God’s blessing. Countless visits, phone conversations, gifts and presents made Lester forget about pain and concerns. We appreciate so much every single gesture of compassion that came our way. Thank you for everything – Lester with parents
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Michal is already here! He came with mom on April 1st and looks like he became fast friends with Kalinka;
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Artur came to us last Friday and on Sunday was on his way to West Palm Beach, FL where dr. Paley will take care of him. Good luck Artur!
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Franio arrived last Wednesday, January 23rd but on Saturday he was already on his way to St. Louis, MO to get SDR procedure at Children’s Hospital ************************************
Julia ( in the middle) left her friends Michal & Marysia at Paley’s Institute in West Palm Beach, FL ; she came for an evaluation only and will be waiting for dr. Paley’s decision in Poland
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Filip got back from a clinic in Dallas, TX on October 26th and left us yesterday to spent Christmas home, in Poland.
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Michal joined Zuzanna and Lester last night . Arrived with mom and in couple of days he’ll be heading to Florida where he will check in into Paley Institute for scheduled surgery on left leg.
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Antosia – another child accepted by Dr. Paley at his Institute in West Palm Beach, FL; her first surgery to start both legs reconstruction will be on Oct. 29th
Antosia enjoyed her long trip from Poland to Florida … now is plying
at the beach
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Jakub arrived with his Mom on Oct. 16th; after just 3 days of stay with us they left for Florida, where at Paley Institute Jakub got accepted for treatment. The series of surgeries that dr. Paley planned for him starts with hip and knee alignment
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Zuzanna and Lester arrived last Saturday; they are approved for treatment at Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago; their moms anxiously await for the first visit with doctors that is scheduled for tomorrow, September 12th
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Krzys left on August 12th; after orthopedic surgery he is more than happy practicing the art of walking; here’s what his parents say
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Maria is 2 and she also is a patient of Paley’s Institute; arrived on August 12th, first surgery will be performed on August 20th; Maria will be there for 3 months
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Alicja arrived on August 8th to Paley Institute in Palm Beach, FL; first surgery is scheduled on 15th and her stay is going to be no less than 8 months
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Kacper ready for departure ! After reconstruction surgery at Paley’s Institute in West Palm Beach, Fl Kacper left for Poland on July 19th.
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Krzys arrived yesterday, July 10th and will be heading to Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO this Sunday, June 14th. He’ll have orthopedic surgery next Thursday. Good luck Krzys!
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On July 5th Olivia and Mateusz flew ever friendly LOT Polish Airlines back to Poland
Enjoy the rest of the summer and stay healthy !
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Olivia’s back! Today she had a visit with dr. Gupta. He was happy that everything goes the way it should. And, what is most amazing thing that everyone scratches head about, including dr. Gupta, as a side effect of the spine fusion surgery, Olivia’s feeling in left leg started coming back. Unbelievable and wonderful!
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After 7 months of hospital stay, few surgeries and endless therapies Alan got OK to go home. After a hurtful suggestions from doctors in Poland that his right leg should be amputated, Dr. Paley from Paley Institute in Palm Beach, FL found the way to save it. No wonder Alany is happy as can be! We all are 🙂
Alan’s thank you note to all of us. Thank you Alan!
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Mateusz walked in to our office today, literally! it shows how successful was SDR procedure that Mateusz underwent at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO; he will stay at Dar Serca for next couple of weeks; then he’ll be heading home. Keep on walking, Mateusz!
Another Mateusz said goodbye to us last Wednesday; after 7 months being with, after spine fusion surgery and lots of check-ups, doctors at Shriners Hospital in Chicago let him go back to Poland; you can tell how happy Mateusz was at O’Hare airport.
Konrad came back to us on June 19th; he’s seen dr. Hamemberg who gave thumbs up on how Konrad’s spine is adjusting; everything looks very good and everyone is very happy
Wiktoria finally got OK from doctors at Shriners to go back home. On May 26th she was happy to be on her way to Poland. Her smile from the plane says it all.
Later, in Poland her Dad and sisters were waiting, with flowers
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On February 24th Jedrek was on his way back to Poland, to pick up what he left at school. New prosthesis is as good as can be and Jedrek left very happy that the visit was so quick and fruitful. From the moment of measurements through fitting and adjusting to the point of receiving a new pair of legs, it took only 10 days. Amazing!
Jedrek with perfect prosthesis from Shriners’ that he keeps getting since he was a little boy
He is coming back for a new set of legs on January 13th; it is only because of a constant and fantastic care of specialists in the US, he can be independent and , in his case, ride horses like a pro!
He even can be a cowboy if he wants to…
Way to go, Jedrek! We are so proud of you!
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First surgery is done: Ilizarov apparatus was installed on Alan’s limb to expand the existing bone; after that doctor will decide what the next step is going to be.
Alan is a patient of Paley Institute in West Palm Beach, FL; he arrived there on Friday, November 23rd and on Monday he was already in the hospital
Hania left on Nov. 2nd and our friends at LOT O’Hare
made her departure very easy. As usually Zuzanna & Wladyslaw Gnarowski were there to help and assist; Hania is expected to return to Shriners Hospital next fall.
Mateusz (here in his Halloween costume) arrived on September 27th; he a patient of Shriners Hospital in Chicago; before doctors determinate if they will be able to operate on his spine, Mateusz needs a lot of tests which are still being run; we expect doctors decision not sooner then mid November
Hania needs a spine surgery; she arrived on September 24, 2012 and was seen for the first time by doctors at Shriners Hospital in Chicago; after all kind of tests and check-ups they decided that Hania needs to get stronger and gain as much weight as possible in order to this surgery to be performed; they want her to be back to the hospital in a year; as for these so cute purple glasses – it’s a gift from dr. Sylvia Szewczyk of Okulista w Okolicy
Marcin came to Dar Serca on September 13th and after very successful SDR surgery he left us on 22nd of October;
as always very friendly staff of Polish Airlines LOT at O’Hare took care of Marcin all the way to Poland
Paulina is one of the children that got accepted at Children’s Hospital for Children in St. Louis, MO for SDR procedure; everything went as planned and after spending some time with us after surgery, she left for Poland in September;
Filip arrived on August 24 to meet specialists at University of Chicago Medical Center ; in September left for Poland
On August 22nd a little boy from Romania came to us; Laurentiu needs an artificial limb; we all made sure he and his mom were very welcome here and the prosthesis was fit and functional
On Friday, August 3rd, Jakub left for Poland
Last Saturday Wladeczek went to St. Louis to bring Jakub, his brother, mom & dad from St. Louis, MO back to Dar Serca,
Agnieszka and her parents stayed there for another week
Wiktoria is a 9 years-old girl and arrived to us on Sunday, July 15th with her mom. Today (Thursday, the 19th) is at Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago for a check-up and evaluation of her condition.
Agnieszka arrived with both parents on Tuesday, July 3rd. Right on time to celebrate the 4TH of July with all of us here. Her first visit at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO is scheduled for Monday, July 9 2012
Zuzia & Rafal are leaving but Olivia and Jakub accompanied them for the departure; as always Zuzanna & Wladyslaw Gnarowski are the first to greet and the last to say goodbye; Malgosia, second from left, representing ever friendly staff at LOT makes children feel right at home
a new van has features that make any trip easy and comfortable;
on the way to the airport