Polish javelin thrower Maria Andrejczyk made her country proud after she clinched the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But, she has just won more praises for having a heart of gold after she sold her medal to help a baby who needed heart surgery.
In a post on social media, Andrejczyk wrote that she decided to sell her silver medal after hearing about Miłoszek Małysa, an 8-month baby with a serious heart condition. She said she wanted to help the family as the boy's parents didn't have the money for his surgery at the Stanford University Medical Center in California.
Żabka, a popular convenience store chain, paid $125,000 for Andrejczyk's silver medal. In an interview with Eurosport Polska, Andrejczyk said that while the medal gave "enormous happiness," she wanted to pass this on to a family and their baby who needed to be happy.
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"This silver can save lives, instead of collecting dust in a closet," the Olympic winner said. "That is why I decided to auction it to help sick children."
In Hospice Care
Małysa is currently in hospice care in his hometown in southern Poland, but his family is due to fly him to Stanford University Medical Center for his life-saving operation. Standford didn't say when the baby will have his surgery. According to a fundraising page for Małysa, he has a heart defect that forces his blood pressure to rise, causing damage to his heart and lungs.
CNN reported that Andrejczyk's medal sale would cover half of the surgery while the fundraiser has already raised the rest of the money the family needs. Andrejczyk said that she didn't mull over her choice to sell the medal for too long because Małysa's situation was the first fundraiser she came across online, and she felt it was the right decision.
A Twist of Fate
Andrejczyk herself knows the struggle of needing a medical procedure. The athlete who lives in a small Polish village by the Lithuanian border has bone cancer and went through a lot of pain and depression before her victory at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 25-year-old javelin star said she fought for her spot in the competition like a lioness despite her physical and mental condition. She has missed out on the medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics after suffering an injury and landing in fourth place.
In 2017, the athlete had to undergo an operation on her shoulder and spent most of the year recovering and rehabilitating her body. In 2018, she was diagnosed with bone cancer but was determined to improve her health for the Tokyo Olympics.
However, Andrejczyk didn't actually lose possession of her silver medal as Żabka decided they will let the athlete keep it as her noble and selfless act moved them. The money Żabka paid for the medal will still go to the funds for Małysa, under the name of Andrejczyk.
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