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Profesor Zbigniew Religa |  |  |  |
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After long wrestling with a serious illness Professor Zbigniew Religa died on 8th March. It is very sad news for the Polish cardiosurgery, medicine and health care as well as political life in our country. The Professor enjoyed great social trust and support. I had the pleasure of knowing the Professor personally and of cooperating with him on several occasions. During our meetings and conversations, after discussing the merits, the Professor often went on to chat about his interests and passions like fishing or football. He was a strong supporter of Górnik Zabrze and FC Barcelona.
I was always impressed by his exceptional openness in contact with other people. He was an extremely matter-of-fact man but also a very warm one at the same time. He had - what many politicians lack - a fantastic ability to listen to people, to see their points, to negotiate and finally to change his mind if necessary.
In 2005 he accepted the position of the Minister of Health in Law and Justice (PiS) government. He always emphasized that it was a good choice and decision because as a patriot he believed in the plan of reforming and repairing the country proposed by Law and Justice.
For all politicians it was a great honour to cooperate with the Professor. As he was familiar with the situation of the Polish health care system he was able to recognise and diagnose its problems and weaknesses and prepared a number of bills aimed at improving the system then, a day later and in many years' time. After losing the election in 2007 he would say that there had not been enough time to introduce his ideas and reform the system.
Professor Zbigniew Religa was undoubtedly the best Polish Minister of Health. He settled the standards on a very high level what is a big challenge for his successors. It is going to be difficult for them to catch up with his professionalism, knowledge and experience. For his merits in the field of cardiosurgery, Polish medicine and health care the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński awarded him with the highest state distinction the Order of the White Eagle. I will keep the solemn and moving character of the decoration ceremony in my memory for a long time.
The Professor impressed us all also when he was openly speaking about his illness and heartened up those in a similar situation. He announced the information about detecting a tumour in his lungs at a press conference. Later on he underwent an operation and while others were going abroad for the treatment Religa was emphasizing that he had chosen Polish doctors. Settling his life accounts and summarising his life fights he said he had never harmed anybody. Unfortunately, he lost his final fight - the one with cancer.
The death of Professor Zbigniew Religa, a great Pole, patriot, doctor and politician is an enormous loss to all of us.