Every year on January 26th, Poland celebrates Transplantation Day to honour a groundbreaking moment in the country’s medical history. On this day in 1966, doctors in Warsaw successfully performed Poland’s first kidney transplant at the I Klinika Chirurgiczna of the Medical Academy. This remarkable procedure was just the 621st kidney transplant worldwide—a huge step forward for medicine at the time, considering the first-ever kidney transplant had only happened 12 years earlier, in 1954.
How It All Started
That surgery in 1966 didn’t just change one person’s life; it paved the way for modern transplant medicine in Poland. Since then, the country has reached other impressive milestones:
- November 28, 1984: Poland performed its first bone marrow transplant.
- November 5, 1985: The legendary surgeon Dr. Zbigniew Religa led Poland’s first successful heart transplant, marking a new chapter in saving lives.
- The Polish invention that revolutionized cardiac surgery
- Remembering Zbigniew Religa: A Trailblazer in Cardiac Surgery and Public Service
- Pioneering Heart Transplant in Poland: Remembering Professor Zbigniew Religa’s Legacy
- 40 Years Since Poland’s First Successful Bone Marrow Transplant
- Breakthrough Year for Organ Transplants in Wrocław’s University Hospital
These achievements are a testament to the skill, courage, and innovation of Polish medical teams over the decades.
A Global Perspective: World Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation
While January 26th is all about celebrating Poland’s achievements, the world recognizes October 26th as the World Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation (WDODT). Launched in 2005, this day raises awareness about the life-saving power of organ donation and the importance of registering as a donor.
Poland joined the global movement the same year, hosting its first celebration in Bydgoszcz, organized by Dr. Zbigniew Włodarczyk and his Transplantology Clinic. In 2007, the event gained momentum with a major ceremony at the Primate’s Palace in Warsaw, led by Poltransplant, Poland’s national transplant coordination centre.
Why It Matters
Transplantation Day is about more than just celebrating medical achievements. It’s a moment to honour organ donors and their families—people whose selflessness gives others a second chance at life. It’s also a chance to educate people about the critical need for organ donation and encourage them to register as donors.
Organ transplantation has come a long way since that first kidney transplant in Warsaw in 1966. What was once considered a daring medical experiment is now a routine procedure that saves thousands of lives each year. And yet, the demand for organ donors continues to grow.