03/31/23

Over PLN 240 million to fight sepsis


Today, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity summarized the 31st Grand Finale organized all around the world by the GOCC Collection Centres. The final result of the fundraiser summed up to PLN 243,259,389.25 (EUR 52,028,528.98 according to the exchange rate of 31 March 2023) which means it is nearly PLN 19 million higher than last year and almost PLN 89 million higher than the preliminary result of the day of the fundraiser. 

Jurek Owsiak announced the final result of the 31st Grand Finale during a press conference held at the mBank headquarters in Warsaw. mBank is the Foundation's long-standing sponsor and partner of the Grand Finale. Not only does the bank organize the transport and count the raised money, but it also produces traditional GOCC Grand Finale payment cards. 


​How much ​have the GOCC raised during the 31st Grand Finale?

The money raised at the Grand Finale fundraiser- which in essence, is a grassroots, community-based event - is used to purchase medical equipment for hospitals across the country and ensure that all children born in Poland have equal access to state-of-the-art medical treatment and diagnostics. This year, the charity has raised PLN 243,259,389.25 which means the result is nearly PLN 19 million higher than last year. The whole amount is a sum of:

• dontations paid to the Collection Boxes - PLN 129,083,897.5 (53.06% of the total)
• online donations - PLN 113,470,883.11 ( 46.56% of the total) 
• donations in-kind - PLN 704,606.64 (0.29% of the total). 

One of the most popular forms of support was an eCollection Box - an online Collection Box powered by Mastercard. 302,744 people donated a total worth of PLN 17,834,746.00 using their eCollection Boxes. Equally popular were the GOCC auctions held on the Allegro platform. Thanks to 132,963 auctions, we raised PLN 27,681,732.01 (the total amount raised together with Allegro equals PLN 30,609,661). Over PLN 7.4 million were raised thanks to the Most Generous Benefactors auctions, where bidders could win a Gold Hear pin and a Golden SIM Card. 

What equipment will the Foundation buy? 

The Orchestra plans to purchase, among others:

• equipment for the identification of micro-organisms by Maldi TOF mass spectrometry systems for automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing,
• multiplex PCR-type molecular diagnostic tool for the identification of micro-organisms including determination of drug resistance,
• tools for the detection of amplification products of bacteria, fungi and determination of resistance mechanisms using magnetic resonance technology,
• automated systems for microbiological samples,
• laminar flow cabinets for laboratories.

First purchase is planned for the end of May this year. Earlier, on 4 May 2023, the Foundation will hold the 65th Open Tender to buy equipment to support children's eye medicine. 

Preliminary result vs. final result of the fundraiser

The preliminary result of the fundraiser is the sum of all the estimated amounts declared by Collection Centres, preliminary results of electronic fundraisers at the end of the day of the Grand Finale, and donations pledged by the donors. 


Some forms of supporting the Grand Finale's objective are still open after the Grand Finale day ends. What is more, settling the accounts may take up to a few weeks. Therefore, each year the declared amount and the final result of the fundraiser differ. The preliminary result of the 31st Grand ​Finale was PLN 154,606,764. The final result is nearly PLN 89 million higher. 


​The 31st Grand Finale

The 31st Grand Finale fundraiser's main objective was the fight against sepsis. 1653 Collection Centres around the world organized fundraisers and thousands of activities. We thank everyone who played together in our Great Orchestra!


On the day of the 31st Grand Finale, the Get Even with Diabetes Race was held for the seventeenth time. Participants could join the event on Sunday, 29 January 2023 in Warsaw or sign up for a virtual run and commit to covering the distance of 5 km wherever and whenever they wished. Altogether the volunteers run a distance of 57,076 km. It translates into nearly PLN 800,000 for purchasing insulin pumps for pregnant women within a medical programme run by the GOCC Foundation since 2004.


In Warsaw, the main centre for all the events and activites was at the TV studio next set up next to the Palace of Culture and Science and next to the concert stage at Plac Bankowy. 

Why sepsis?

Our immune system’s erratic response to the infection may result in a rapid worsening of the patient’s condition. Therefore, it is crucial to make right decisions quickly and administer an effective therapy as soon as possible, perfectly within the first hour since the diagnosis. Performing tests to identify the germs responsible for the infection is the essential step in giving the appropriate treatment to the patient. Studies show that an hour delay in identifying the germs and administering effective antibiotics increases the risk of death by 8%. 


In Poland, due to the lack of a national register, there are no reliable data on the number of sepsis cases, which significantly impedes the prevention and treatment. According to the National Health Fund’s reports, analysed by NIK (Supreme Audit Office), there are ca. 20 thousand hospitalized adult patients in Poland affected by sepsis annually. However, these numbers are indeed underestimated. The survey carried out in the accredited intensive care units in 2012 and 2013 reveals that sepsis affected at least 50 thousand people, and the death rate was higher than in the case of deaths caused by respiratory system cancers or heart attacks. Moreover, the NIK’s report of 2018 on hospital infections stresses the need for introducing urgent actions to prevent, monitor and treat sepsis. 


Recent studies show that sepsis is the leading cause of 20% of annual global deaths. According to the research done by World Health Organization, in 2017, sepsis affected 49 million people worldwide and was linked to 11 million deaths. Half of the patients were children (ca. 20 million), and 2.9 million deaths occurred in children under 5. ​


Therefore, the GOCC Foundation want to equip Polish hospitals with the necessary devices for a faster diagnosis of sepsis and administering the targeted treatment. 

125 days left till the 29th Pol'and'Rock Festival

Right now, the GOCC Foundation focuses on preparations for the 29th edition of the Most Beautiful Festival in the World. Pol'and'Rock Festival will be held between 3-5 August 2023 at the former Czapalinek-Broczyno Airfield in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The Festival is a free and unticketed event.  The first announced stars of this year's Most Beautiful Festival in the World are Apollo 440, Spin Doctors, Biohazard, Carpenter Brut, Brodka, Napalm Death, DRAIN, While She Sleeps, Zalewski, Bullet for My Valentine, Royal Republic LemON, Rise of The Northstar, and Get The Shot.

The 32nd Grand Finale will be held on 28 January 2024. The objective of the fundraiser will be revealed in the autumn.  

In 31 Grand Finales the Foundation raised nearly PLN 2 billion and purchased over 70,400 devices.
Anna Libertowska