The portrait of extraordinary person

Zbigniew Religa is the most famous polish heart surgeon who performed the first successful heart transplantation in Poland. His great achievement and struggles associated with it are shown in movie entitled ‘Bogowie’. It is exceptional movie in which the main character is shown with many imperfections and despite this we think of him as a hero. Hunched figure, specific facial expression, a tendency to swearing are the most characteristic and his smoking addiction features of Religa. He was also well known for attitude towards his colleagues. Although they were young and unexperienced he trusted them and hired them. Religa treated his employees equally and as friends. He was sometimes rough against them and he used to sack them from work without a reason but later he hired them back. He was stubborn and honest. When he decided to do something he could move heaven and earth to achieve that. After finishing his studies and his internship in the United States he decided to transplant hearts. At that time in Poland it was impossible and that is what his boss said to him. He did not give up and he moved to Zabrze to build his own clinic in which he could realize his plans. Religa was walking contradiction- surgeon who smokes. For many years he was a heavy smoker. He used to smoke anytime and everywhere (even during the operation). Years of smoking caused a tumour on a left lung. He also admitted that he had serious problems with alcohol. When something went wrong and the patients died, Religa was looking for solace in alcohol. Alcohol gave him a few hours of rest from everything around him. During the interviews conducted with him he was not ashamed to say about his weaknesses which were addictions. Zbigniew Religa was a great doctor for whom the patient’s life was the most important. Thanks to the passion, determination, and blind faith, contrary to common sense and to the world, he was able to make great things, to help people.