The nomination for the award was submitted by a patient who contacted the “My Patients” Foundation – a dynamic think-tank focused on the needs of patients. The Foundation grants awards and distinctions for patient-centricity every year.
The awarded project is part of an international study involving patients with rare liver diseases who are under the care of the center of the European Reference Network on Rare Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER) operating at our university. The study is based on the assumption that a patient who experiences difficulties and struggle related to a disease acquires unique competences that allow this person to effectively support other people. This is an important aspect in the overall care of the patient, because a doctor who knows the disease only in theory, even based on an extensive experience, is not able to fully reach the deepest emotions related to the daily living with a rare disease.
Patients adequately trained by psychologists (Dr. Marta Rzadkiewicz and Prof. Dorota Włodarczyk) provide support to other patients under the project. The entire study is supervised (by MSc. Joanna Łącz and Dr. Maciej Janik) and results are analyzed in comparison to the control group who can also benefit from the intervention after a period of observation.
Prof. Joanna Raszeja-Wyszomirska, Prof. Dorota Włodarczyk, Dr. Marta Rzadkiewicz and MSc Joanna Łącz participate in the study led by Prof. Piotr Milkiewicz and coordinated by Dr. Maciej Janik. The study is being carried out simultaneously in Belgium, Canada, Germany and Hungary as part of the Q.RARE.LI project financed in the years 2023-2025 under the EJP RD grant by NCBiR.