def change_the_world(persistence: bool, goodwill: bool, knowledge: bool):
    """To be rembered forever"""
    if not persistence:
        raise FallDownError
    if not goodwill:
        raise CrueltyError
    if not knowledge:
        raise AwarenessError
    return make_change(persistence, goodwill, knowledge)

Drużyna Szpiku⌗

The trigger for the inception of Drużyna Szpiku¹ in 2008 was Anna Wierska who, struggling with blood cancer and the lack of donor by herself, aimed to help other afflicted people by raising awareness about the importance of blood donation. Since that moment, the organization has considerably grown in size and still shares its expertise in the subject of blood cancer by educating on the significance of: regular health checks, finding donors, and bone marrow transplantation. To achieve it, a variety of initiatives are undertaken such as organizing public events, providing financial support, sharing stories of donors, and giving school talks.

However, it is the latter that is essential for this blog since such a lecture from the series “Serce dla Chorych” (literally, “The Heart for The Ill”) was delivered at our school. Therefore, I shall focus only on this meeting, discussing its arrangement and implications.

Preparation⌗

First phase⌗

The process of preparation began in the middle of January when, following a lesson of CAS, I received the phone number to Mr. Stanisław Furmaniak - a journalist, volunteer for Drużyna Szpiku, and a friend of our CAS teacher - hoping to invite him to our school. I contacted him immediately in order to gain an insight into what we should expect and prepare for a lecture he may give.

This initial conversation ushered the direction of action that needed to be taken (e.g. technical equipment to be provided, the age range to be invited) as well as set possible dates for a meeting.

Second phase⌗

As a second step, I confronted the Principal of our school to introduce the organization of Drużyna Szpiku and explain the idea behind the meeting. He strongly agreed to my proposition and offered the school assembly hall for this purpose.

With the support of the Principal, I could negotiate the reservation of the assembly hall with school secretary. Fortunately, we reached a consensus in a reasonable time. What left was the choice of an exact hour for the talk, however, it was done without me being involved - the same concerns the age group. Foreseeably, 10:50 was proposed (the usual hour for meetings and talks on Thursdays). Supplied with that information, I could confirm my reservation and let Mr. Furmaniak know about the schedule.

The meeting⌗

Although the preparation part was coped with ease, the day of the lecture did involve a fair degree of disturbance. First, Mr. Furmaniak must have heard a wrong hour because he appeared for the lecture at 10:20. As a result, I was unable to greet him properly as it was during lesson time. Second, I had to scour the school for a laptop for Mr. Furmaniak. Third, available cables were too short, which forced us to rearrange the entire equipment.

Nevertheless, these minor issues did not escalate into a full-scale disaster and everything was as expected.

The details of the meeting can be viewed either on Facebook or Instagram.

What else I can say…⌗

I would like to thank: Mr. Furmaniak for such a mind-opening experience, Mrs. Sobala for aiding me in organizing this event, and the students who attended for their active participation. I firmly believe that, thanks to the talk, we were able to gain a broader perspective on blood cancer and how it affects our day-to-day life. I hope that the number of people declaring their willingness to donate marrow will not stop increasing, saving lives of people in the urgent need of a transplantation.

Learning outcomes:⌗

• LO 1 Strength and Growth
• LO 2 Challenge and Skills
• LO 3 Initiative and Planning
• LO 4 Commitment and Perseverance
• LO 5 Collaborative Skills
• LO 6 Global Engagement
• LO 7 Ethics of Choices and Actions