There's Something Happening Here

Celebration Earth: Making The Jump From A Culture Of War To A Culture Of Peace

Joanna Łysiak

Hearts WorldWide -we are waiting for You to join us TO HELP OUR CHILDREN TRULY BELIVE AND SING "WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD"

THE INTERNATIONAL CHAIN OF [GOOD] HEARTS – HEARTS WORLDWIDE.



The doctors had said that Martin would be able [only] to ride a wheelchair. She knew, her son will be healthy.


Best said of Joanna Łysiak (46) is she may move the mountains. This small, good looking woman, that overcome many adversities in her life, says ‘nothing comes without the reason’.
- I had to experience a lot to help people today – says Joanna with a smile.
Shortly after graduation in pedagogy studies, together with her husband – an economists – they left Poland in 1984 and moved to Denmark. They wanted to improve their financial situation.
- When we were leaving Poland, I was already pregnant. Anna was born in Denmark. Soon I got pregnant again and then the problems started – Joanna mentions.
The Danish doctors after examining Joanna said the she needs an abortion as there is a big risk the child will be handicapped. She was convinced three times to do so, she refused.
- We were visited by our fellow doctors from Poland, after studying the medical results they gave us hope that it may not be that bad [as it was expected to be]. Moreover I wanted this baby. I used to talk to my son Martin, while he was still in my womb. I kept telling him ‘its going to be all right’.

Martin was born in the 28th week of pregnancy, he did not weight too much. The doctors discovered cerebral palsy. The Danish system offered Joanna equipment essential for the care of disabled person, but did not give her any chances to rehabilitate [cure] her child. She – as a hopeless optimists – was sure her son will be able-bodied.
- I wanted to provide my son the [best] rehabilitation, but I was aware that the salary of a pedagogue will not be enough to achieve it and so I made up my mind to become a wealthy woman. I went to textiles fair as a translator. I was offered a job, and suddenly I became a tradeswoman without any experience or preparation in this field. Three months later I became a director of a big concern – clothing producer. I was willful and achieved my goals – I was doing this for my son – Joanna explains.
Mentally Martin was developing great, but still at the age of 2-3 he had difficulties with standing and walking. He was used to wear a protective helmet since he tended to fall very often. The doctors suggested the wheelchair, Joanna opposed. She kept reading all available literature on different methods of rehabilitation. She did frequently visit China, where she learned un-conventional arts. Martin was working every day with therapist at the time.


In 1994, due several reasons the family decided to move to Poland.
- We settled in Gdansk-Sopot-Gdynia conurbation. After Martin’s first day at Polish school I was close to packing my things and going back to Denmark - my child came to me crying and asking ‘Why didn’t you tell me I’m a ‘cripple’ and what does it mean anyway?”.
Joanna met the parents at a parents-teacher meeting, but they did not show any understanding. She did talked to teachers but it did not work either. That is why she requested an hour at the class and turned to pupils. She shown the pictures of Martin, explained the disease, told them about his hard work on becoming ‘abled’. That was effective – the children understood the issues and accepted her son.
- In Poland I was still working with Martin, I signed him up for a tennis classes. The coach said Martin will not manage to play, but he did after all. His moves while playing were funny in a way, but still it was the tennis game. Thanks to that he felt like a fully worthy man.

Martin finished his rehabilitation at the age of 14 lat. He is able-bodied and happy. At the moment he attends the flight school in Florida. He is about to receive the professional pilot’s license for airliners. He already has a job offer from one of the American companies.
The daughter Anna finalizes her Law studies. She has two sons and leads a happy life.

As for Joanna – her life changed again in the year 2000.
I divorced and moved back to Koszalin. I noticed my children are doing well, I no longer want be a businesswoman and finally that I can at last devote myself to the idea I was dreaming about all my life – to create the foundation to help the others. What has been achieved by my child, may be achieved by other children as well. Apart from that I feel I am obligated to pay back the debt of Martin’s recovery. Moreover – why do other people have to keep ‘hitting the wall’ when there are people to show them the right door –Joanna says.

Joanna could not watch the suffering of other parents and their children. She traveled across Poland, establishing relationships with people from both conventional and un-conventional medicines as well as therapists with same will of helping.
It happened one day she saw a girl in a wheelchair at the shopping center. Joanna introduced herself and told a story about Martin.
- This is how I met Anna. Her mother took me as a ‘weirdo’ at first, when I told her I am going to take her daughter to Poznań for three days for a consult. Anna received Martin’s exercising equipment and a list of contact details of several therapists. After six years of [hard] work Anna was able to stand on her feet. She walks on crutches, but slowly she manages to walk without such aids as well. There are many cases like this one in my life – she says.
After few years of such private and free activity she decided it is not enough anymore, that the way she may help only some individual, but she would like to help thousands of children in Poland and in the whole world.
Joanna for more than 20 years has been managing big, international enterprises. Now she is willing to use her professional experience and private connections to help children. That is why she created a foundation, which [one of many] goal is to build a facility where children could be rehabilitated by all available worldide methods of treatment and the doctors [as well carers], could exchange their experiences from around the globe.
- I have no money to build the facility yet. At the moment I have ‘only’ substantial piece of land, great will and I am surrounded by enthusiast like me. Among them there are physicians, therapists, people of open hearts and minds. I expect to go soon to meet my friends in India and Saudi Arabia to convince them to help me build this unit.
- Some people say I must be out of my mind, that I am ‘going on wild goose chase’. I still remember people saying the same when Martin was sick. He was supposed to be riding a wheelchair, today he pilots airplanes. I simply know that everything is possible.

Magda Omilianowicz
Fot. Kamil Jurkowski

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EARTH JUMPS - ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE EARTH

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Celebration Earth Jump's have been happening around the planet since December 2008, when the first one held at Shuri Castle, Okinawa. Jumps have taken place in Hawaii, California, Kansas, Scotland, Korea, Chile, Hokkaido, Tokyo, Taiwan and more.

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On April 22nd Yuji began walking around taiwan where he received lots of support, from the national government, media organisations and individuals. This walk finished on July 4th.

Next: Hong Kong Vietnam (Begins August)

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