News

It is with great sadness that we share the somber news that Prof. Jacek Łuczak, MD, PhD, FRCP, passed away on October 22, 2019.

Valued member of our community, Prof. Łuczak has lead an exemplary academic career and contributed to the development of PUMS and patient care in Poznan. He was an excellent teacher, researcher and physician whose contribution included, among others:
-co-founder and long-time Head of Department of Palliative Medicine at PUMS – first-in-Europe university department of this type,
-Dean of Medical Faculty 1981-1982,
-co-founder of the first in Poland palliative care hospital ward,
-founder of Palium Hospice – which became a model patient care center for many facilities of this type in Poland and in Europe,
-founder and long-time President of Polish Society of Palliative Care,
-President of the National Council of Palliative and Hospice Care at the Polish Ministry of Health,
-mentor to many generations of students, nurses and doctors,
-advocate and spokesman for palliative care in Poland and Eastern Europe.

For his work towards the development of palliative care, and his efforts to strengthen the cooperation of specialists in this field from various EU countries, as well as building model doctor-patient relationships, prof. Łuczak was awarded the European Citizen’s Prize by the European Parliament in 2012, as well as Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland in 2019.

Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife, family and friends. He will be dearly missed at the University.

The funeral services will take place at Junikowo Cemetery on Thursday, October 31, 2019 at 1.50pm. There will also be a catholic mass in his memory at 11am on the same day in Poznan Cathedral.