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They cannot come to terms with his death. They cherish the memory of the gynecologist who guided their pregnancies. He is mentioned, among others, by on the Facebook group “Bielańskie Moms”, which already includes over three thousand women.
- The women talked about their professors: “Angel”, “Miracle Worker”, “Uncle”. Probably no Polish doctor has enjoyed such enormous support that Dębski had from his patients
- In their social media “life defenders”, activists of the “stop abortion” campaign, called professor Dębski “Polish Doctor Death”
- Anna Karpisz: I know with what dedication he saved these difficult pregnancies, how much he got involved, how he fought for women and children. How happy he was after giving birth to every “kid” – that is what he said about newborns
- Anna Karpisz: Bielańskie Group Moms are something that must stay after the professor. That’s his monument. I am thinking of establishing a foundation. Maybe this is the direction?
A little more than a month has passed since the death of professor Romuald Dębski, and on his grave there is still a sea of candles and fresh flowers. It is nothing extraordinary at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw to see young mothers with prams laying red hearts, white roses, or drawings by their several-year-old children on the physician’s grave. They remember about their professor, because it was Dębski who owed what other medics denied them – motherhood. Eagerly awaited, difficult, dreamlike, and from a medical point of view – almost impossible. Because he gave birth to women with cancer, half of one ovary, uterine fibroids, one kidney, diabetes, and cerebral palsy. He managed the pregnancies of patients with cervical cancer, after seven miscarriages, with fetal defects, with serological conflict.
These women talked about their professor “Angel”, “Miracle Worker”, “Uncle”. But – while the professor was still alive – he had another common thing: defending his good name. Probably no Polish doctor has enjoyed such enormous support that Dębski had from his patients.
Persecuted during his lifetime
Because the professor was fought and persecuted by the so-called life defenders, gathered around the Pro-Law to Life Foundation. They used to park a propaganda van in front of the Bielany Hospital, where the professor worked. They labeled her with drastic photographs of bloody fetuses and inscriptions, such as: “In the Bielany Hospital in 2017, aborters killed 131 children”, “Abortion slaughterhouse No. 2”. Or they were standing with a huge banner with a photo of a bloodied child next to the professor’s image. Above these pictures they placed the question: “How many abortions did you perform last month, Mr. Dębski?” And another: “Doctors without conscience kill without scruples.”
In 2017, “prolajferzy” announced a plebiscite in which they recognized the doctor from the Bielany Hospital “Herod of the Year”. Which referred to the figure of Herod the Great. This king of Judea went down in history when, upon hearing of the birth of a “new Jewish king,” he ordered the slaughter of the innocents and all boys under two years of age killed.
In their social media, the same “life defenders” activists of the “stop abortion” campaign called Professor Dębski “Polish Doctor Death.”
The professor’s testimonies that he gave every day were useless: with thousands of saved pregnancies, thousands of women who, almost miraculously, gave birth to healthy children in the Bielany Hospital.
Over three thousand happy mothers
Many of Professor Dębski’s patients were outraged by such depiction of a doctor. Among them was Anna Karpisz, a young mother from Warsaw, whose son was born in the ward headed by Professor Dębski from a threatened pregnancy.
– When I saw the professor’s photo on the banner of “prolipers” and his name, it boiled up in me – Mrs. Anna is indignant. – Because I know with what sacrifice he saved these difficult pregnancies, how much he was involved, how he fought for women and children. How happy he was after giving birth to every “kid” – as he said about newborns. There was no consent in me that anyone should spit on such wonderful doctors.
So with several other mothers, whom Anna met while lying in the hospital, they concluded that they needed to defend their gynecologist.
– With my friends we met at the pregnancy pathology department of Bielański Hospital, we exchanged views on what terrible things are happening outside the building – recalls the woman. – One of the girls came up with the idea that it would be worth, vis-à-vis this banner with the professor’s photo next to the dissected fetuses, to show them your own: with photos of our children, saved by doctors from the professor’s clinic. Originally it was supposed to be a banner with 7 photos, finally there are over 800 of them on the banner. In order to find patients giving birth to doctors from the Bielański Hospital, I created a group called “Bielańskie Moms” on the Facebook page.
Today, the group numbers over three thousand people and there are still new applications.
– It is a paradox and an imp of fate that people who dazzle with their hostile, terrible truths managed to bring us together – analyzes Anna. – They contributed to the creation of a huge, friendly community.
The professor knew there was such a group. And he read the touching entries of women whom he made happy by helping in the difficult birth of their children.
Bielańskie Moms in action
It was Bielańskie Moms who organized a picnic of support for their professor on Children’s Day, June 1, 2018. Earlier, they had prepared a banner on which they placed their photos with children.
– I remember that when we were hanging this banner, a taxi pulled up in front of the hospital and the professor got out of it – says Anna. – It was around 8am. I ran up to him, introduced myself, asked how he liked the banner that had just hung on the wall of the building. He smiled and looked at our handiwork. He was clearly satisfied. He glanced with pity at the car with these photos of bloody fetuses, waved his hand at it and said shortly: “Okay, Ania. I’m going to do. ” And he went to his patients.
At the picnic there were parents with children, their grandmothers and grandparents. Romuald Dębski also came. Then he said to Polsat’s camera: “Despite these slanderous banners, I can see that we managed to do a good job. There were also patients with children who are now around 20 years old. They were born when I was still working at the Czerniakowski Hospital. So they are not only the mothers of Bielany, but also mine. It is something that strongly motivates people to be active in favor of Polish mothers. And to be honest, when I read all the entries on Facebook, my eyelids were getting wet all the time. Because it shows emotions and thoughts that we don’t know about on a daily basis. “
“… let him even open his eyes”
When professor Dębski lay in the Bielany Hospital and fought for his life in a difficult condition, Bielański Moms supported him. Therefore, above his bed, in the intensive care unit, they hung a large collage with photos of mothers and children.
– We really wanted the professor to know that we are with him in these difficult times. That he would feel our prayers and warm thoughts about him – says Anna Karpisz.
On the poster, the women wrote: “To Professor Dębski: Bielańskie Moms”. And next to that short sentence they painted a big red heart.
– Some of us, Bielański Mums, sent the professor cards from children, figurines of angels, photos. – recalls Ms Anna. – Today I do not remember who said it, but at that time I heard the sentence: “God, if he would open his eyes and move his finger, he could still help.
The media killed the professor on Tuesday, December 11. Gazeta Wyborcza wrote about it first, followed by other media. Wikipedia has even managed to edit the biography with the date of Dębski’s death.
The professor’s wife, also a gynecologist, wrote a correction: “Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Dear Patients. Professor Dębski is in the hospital, he is fighting for his life. Thank you for the words of support we get from everywhere, they mean a lot to us. The professor did not believe in miracles. He just made them. We believe that such a miracle will happen to him. He fully deserved it. “
The miracle did not happen. Romuald Dębski died on December 20, at night. It was clear to the Bielański Mums that they would accompany their professor on his last journey.
It is not how it suppose to be
The “pro-lenders” and after the professor’s death did not let themselves be forgotten. Mariusz Dzierżawski, president of the Pro-Law to Life Foundation, even demanded that the church hierarchs excommunicate the famous gynecologist and refuse him to be buried in the Catholic cemetery. This did not happen, but the Bielański moms knew that their doctor’s funeral could be disrupted.
– We knew these activists would be there. – Ms Anna recalls that day. – They lined up with their banners in such a place that everyone who went to church had to pass by them. Many of us have wanted to say out loud what we think about them. My husband asked them aloud, “Shame on you. What good have you done in life? Even one millionth of what Professor Dębski did for mothers and fathers. “
Anna adds that their reaction was terrifying. Two young boys who looked as if they didn’t know where the babies came from were standing with ironic smiles. At any remarks directed at them, with the wooden movements of their mannequins, they pointed to their terrible banner.
Fortunately, there were no incidents at the cemetery, and the mourners at the end of the ceremony heard Budka Suflera’s song “It was not supposed to be like this”. And the words of the song, about parting and the hope of meeting “where everyone is with each other. And you will see there will be time to sing, to play. In a hundred years, in a year, in a day. “
– When I left the cemetery, these words followed me – is moved Anna Karpisz. – It let go of all the tension: after the professor’s illness, after the hope that he would survive. And as I got into the car, I suddenly felt scared. What will happen to all the women our doctor has looked after? As long as he was alive, they felt safe. They thought: “We will not die with him.”
“We have to meet again in a year”
– I cannot forget this picnic on Children’s Day in 2017. Not those women and whole families that came then. – says Karpisz. – Each of them has a story related to the professor. I know that now, after the professor’s death, many of them keep pictures of him in their homes and place them in visible places. They tell their children about the doctor who helped them come into the world. These are women whom no doctor had previously given hope of becoming pregnant. Then from the stage I said to the assembled: “How can you say that children are murdered in this hospital? After all, they are saved here! They are: laughing, playing, walking, eating ice cream. Live. And if it weren’t for Professor Dębski, they wouldn’t be there.
That is why Anna Karpisz is convinced that the Bielański Mam group will not cease to exist. – Our group is still growing – says the group administrator. – I am thinking intensely what to do with the potential and good that is in us. It is valuable that we are helping each other now. Recently, one of the mothers was in a difficult financial situation, she asked for help. The response to her request exceeded all expectations: clothes, a pram and other necessary things immediately went to her.
The professor’s wife, associate professor Marzena Dębska, who – like her husband – is also a gynecologist, joined the rescue operation for the mother from Bielany.
– This is a good spirit of our group, for many of the professor’s patients the only person they trust after his departure – adds Anna. – And our group is something that must stay after the professor. That’s his monument. I am thinking of establishing a foundation. Maybe this is the direction? Bielańskie Moms are already waiting to come to a picnic on Children’s Day similar to last year’s. The more that he said then: “We have to meet here again next year. There’s no other way.”