Olympian sells Rio medal to help boy with cancer
Polish discus thrower Piotr Malachowski auctions his silver medal to fund specialist treatment
A Rio 2016 silver medallist is being hailed as the true embodiment of Olympic spirit after selling off his newly minted medal to fund specialist treatment for a boy with a rare form of cancer.
Piotr Malachowski took second place in the discus to become one of 11 Polish Olympians to bag a medal in Rio. It was his second silver after netting one in Beijing in 2008.
Writing on Facebook after the Games, the 33-year-old athlete, who is the current world and European discus champion, said he had done "everything in [his] power" to bring home the gold.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"But fate gave me a chance to increase the value of my silver," he added.
The Olympian told his followers how he had been contacted by the mother of three-year-old Olek Szymanski, who has spent almost two years battling retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer that affects young children.
As a result, Malachowski said, he was auctioning off his medal to help pay for Olek and his family to travel to New York and receive specialist treatment not currently available in Poland.
He hoped to raise around $84,000 (£64,000) from the sale to top up previous donations and send the little boy to New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, which offers "state-of-the-art care with access to novel therapies and clinical trials not available anywhere else in the country."
"In Rio I fought for the gold," he wrote. "Today I appeal to everyone - let's fight together about something that is even more precious - the health of this fantastic boy."
It wasn't long before Malachowski returned to Facebook to say he had successfully found a buyer for the medal and that all the proceeds would go towards Olek's treatment.
The auction was won by Poland's billionaire siblings Dominika and Sebastian Kulczyk, who "declared their willingness to buy my silver medal for an amount which enables us to meet the goal set", wrote the Malachowski.
"My silver medal today is worth much more than a week ago," he added.
News of the generous gesture spread quickly, with people around the world applauding his compassion. "This is the real Olympic spirit. Bravo!" wrote one admirer, while another added: "You have a true heart of gold."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Nuclear near-misses
The Explainer From technical glitches to fateful split-second decisions, the world has come to the brink of nuclear war more times than you might think
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nigeria's worsening rate of maternal mortality
Under the radar Economic crisis is making hospitals unaffordable, with women increasingly not receiving the care they need
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The alarming rise of cancer in young people
Under the radar Cancer rates are rising, and the cause is not clear
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
How happy is Finland really?
Today's Big Question Nordic nation tops global happiness survey for seventh year in a row with 'focus on contentment over joy'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Beyond belief': fears of asbestos return
Under the radar Attention is returning to the dangers of the carcinogenic substance
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
How Tehran became the world's nose job capital
Under the radar Iranian doctors raise alarm over low costs, weak regulation and online influence of 'Western beauty standards'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Africa's renewed battle against female genital mutilation
Under the radar Campaigners call for ban in Sierra Leone after deaths of three girls as coast-to-coast convoy prepares to depart
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published